Dalai Lama: Keep up pressure on China

BERLIN, May 9 (UPI) -- The Dalai Lama, in an interview with a German magazine, said China should either prove he is inciting demonstrations in Tibet or start talking to him.

If Chinese leaders really believe their claims, "then they should go to Oslo (Norway) and see to it that I am stripped of my Nobel Peace Prize," he told Der Spiegel.

The Dalai Lama is scheduled to visit Germany next week. He is expected to meet some officials, including Norbert Lammert, the head of the parliament, but Chancellor Angela Merkel will be out of the country while the Dalai Lama is in Germany.

Talks between his representatives and Chinese officials in Shenzhen Sunday were conducted in a "rather respectful" way, he said, with negotiators discussing concrete proposals for the next round of talks.

The Dalai Lama said international pressure on the Chinese government and the upcoming Beijing Olympics have made China more willing to talk.

"I can only encourage every free society, especially Germany, to sustain this pressure," he said.