Chinese plot to poison Dalai Lama?

DHARAMSALA, India, May 12 (UPI) -- The Dalai Lama said he has received reports from inside Tibet warning Chinese agents have trained Tibetan women for a mission to poison him.

In an exclusive interview with Britain's Sunday Telegraph, the 76-year-old Buddhist leader said he was informed the women would pose as devotees seeking his blessing.

"We received some sort of information from Tibet," he told the newspaper. "Some Chinese agents training some Tibetans, especially women, you see, using poison -- the hair poisoned, and the scarf poisoned -- they were supposed to seek blessing from me, and my hand touch."

The interview is to appear in the Telegraph Sunday.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner said he has high security in his temple palace grounds in Dharamsala, in the Himalayan foothills in India.

The Telegraph noted poor relations between the Tibetan government-in-exile in India and China and there have been more than 30 self-immolations in the past year by Tibetans protesting China's policies.

Still, the Dalai Lama said he believes China will adopt democratic reforms during his lifetime to protect its economic growth.