Dharamsala, Sep 12 (IANS): The Tibetan parliament-in-exile Friday urged Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is scheduled to visit India next week, to resolve the issue of Tibet through the mutually beneficial policy of the 'middle way' approach.
It also asked India to raise the Tibet issue with the visiting dignitary.
"We are grateful to India for all the support and assistance that it has provided to the Tibetan people. We urge the government of India to raise the Tibet issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping," parliament-in-exile speaker Penpa Tsering said in the house.
The eighth session of the 15th parliament-in-exile began Friday.
Tsering expressed hope in Xi's positive initiative to improve governance in China. He urged Xi to focus more on Tibet and look into the real cause of the Tibetan people's grievances and find a solution to the Tibet issue through the "middle way approach".
The "middle way approach" favours "genuine autonomy" for Tibetans within the framework of the Chinese constitution and does not speak of independence.
The speaker also urged Jinping to respect the rights of minorities and grant them equal rights and privileges as per the provisions of the Chinese constitution.
Recalling that the parliament-in-exile has appealed, through the Chinese embassy in New Delhi, to allow a Tibetan parliamentary delegation to visit Tibet, he said: "We have requested the Chinese government to allow a fact-finding delegation from the Tibetan parliament to visit Tibet."
"However, we are yet to receive any response. We believe Tibetans have the right to visit Tibet and investigate the cause of the Tibetan people's suffering and confirm whether Tibet is actually a 'socialist paradise' as proclaimed by the Chinese state media," he said.
Expressing solidarity with all those Tibetans who have sacrificed their lives for the cause of Tibet, he said: "Our main duty is to alleviate the suffering of the Tibetan people inside Tibet."
The speaker condemned the Chinese government for its cultural assimilation policies conducted under the guise of economic development in Tibet.
Tsering expressed condolences over the loss of lives and property in the recent floods in Jammu and Kashmir and urged Tibetans to contribute to the relief fund.
The Tibetan parliament also passed three resolutions in its inaugural session.
They included te resolve to urge the new Chinese leadership to investigate the situation inside Tibet and expressed solidarity with those who continue to suffer Chinese atrocities in Tibet.
The session of the parliament will discuss Xi's visit to India at a special full-day session Sep 16, Tsering announced in the house.
The session, which can also be viewed online, will conclude Sep 24.
The Dalai Lama - the Tibetan spiritual leader - has lived in India since fleeing his homeland in 1959. The Tibetan administration-in-exile is based in this northern Indian hill town.