China told about boy Lama's arrival

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 14. India and China today formally held discussions about the defection of Ugyen Trinley Dorje, the 14- year-old Karmapa into India, with New Delhi seeking details from Beijing about the circumstances leading to his arrival in the country.

According to a Foreign Office spokesman, the Chinese Ambassador, Mr. Zhou Gang, met the Joint Secretary in the Foreign Office's East Asia division, Mr. T. C. A. Rangachary, in the evening. During the 25-minute meeting which had been requested by the Chinese envoy, the Indian side informed Mr. Gang that the Karmapa and six others arrived in Dharamsala on January 5. According to the spokesman, the Chinese envoy was told that the Lama was in good health and had been provided ``appropriate security cover.'' He had been lodged in a monastery near Dharamsala.

The Indian side, on its part asked China to furnish details about the monk's departure in Tibet, the route he had taken and ``other relevant details.'' Asked if the Foreign Office was implying that the Chinese side was aware of the Karmapa's movement in advance, he said no such inference could be drawn.

The spokesman said India and China had noted with satisfaction that a ``sound momentum'' had been imparted to their relationship and the process of further improving ties was underway under the framework of the Panchsheel doctrine.

In a related development, the visiting US Republican Senator, Mr. Sam Brownback today hoped that India would show ``religious tolerance and openness'' while tackling the defection of the 17th Karmapa. The Senator, in response to a question at a press conference, clarified that ``it was for India to take a decision on the defecting Tibetan monk.'' India's position, he said, had become difficult as the Karmapa had not made any statement about his intentions.

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