Tibetan leaders say the Dalai Lama must decide on his successor

The Dalai Lama has the sole authority to decide howhis successor will be chosen, a gathering of senior religious andpolitical leaders of the community in exile said on Wednesday. "If the government of the People's Republic of China for politicalends chooses a candidate for the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan people willnot recognize and respect that candidate," the resolution adopted bymore than 100 participants at the Indian hill town of Dharamsalasaid.The choice of a successor to the current and 14th Dalai Lama, whoturned 84 this year, has long been a contentious issue between Chinaand the Tibetans in exile.Traditionally a reincarnation of the Dalai Lama is identified throughan over 800-year-old method using various signs. "The relationship between successive Dalai Lamas and the Tibetanpeople has been akin to that between head and neck, or, as it were,between the body and its shadow, and therefore never ever separable,"the resolution said.It said this was why the tradition of choosing successive Dalai Lamasthrough reincarnations should continue.The resolution was adopted at a conference organized by the Tibetangovernment-in exile based in Dharamsala.The 14th Dalai Lama fled to India after China cracked down on aTibetan uprising in 1959 followed by hundreds of Tibetans. Chinaregards him as a separatist.The Dalai Lama has been cryptic in answering questions about hissuccessor in recent years.In different interviews he has suggested he could be the last DalaiLama, that his successor could be elected like the Pope or that shecould be a woman.