Brussels, December 4
Tibet’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, urged Europe not to appease China, saying that frank dealings and treating Beijing “as a friend” would best serve human rights. The Dalai Lama is on a trip to Europe this week that is due to include a meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy -- an encounter that prompted China to call off Monday’s long-planned summit with the European Union in Lyon, France.

However, the Nobel laureate urged the 27-nation bloc, which sees China as a key potential player in global efforts to address the world economic slowdown, not to be alarmed.

“'There is a Tibetan saying: some wounds in the mouth recover by themselves,” the 73-year-old Buddhist monk said yesterday in an interview.

Earlier this month China had warned Sarkozy, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, that the EU risked losing “hard-won” gains in ties with Beijing if he met the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama acknowledged that relations with China, the world’s most populous nation, were important, but said a firm approach was in the country’s own interest.

“'There is a Tibetan saying that a more genuine friendship should be more frank. That’s important.”

''During Chamberlain, just before World War II, too much appeasement failed,” he said. Analysts doubted the Lyon summit would yield many results, with the EU-China relationship weighed down by trade tensions.

In a move set to complicate ties further, an EU trade committee voted on Wednesday to adopt import duties of up to 87 per cent on screws and bolts from China, EU diplomats said.

The Dalai Lama repeated charges that China was guilty of “cultural genocide” in Tibet and called on Europe and others to highlight the need for respect of human rights and religious freedom in contacts with Beijing.

“I always believe our approach, the middle-way approach, is actually helping to bring stability, unity and prosperity and ultimately bring a harmonious society. So anyone, including the EU, helping that is indirectly helping the Chinese government.” — Reuters

Bangkok, December 4
Bangkok's international airport will resume normal operations from tomorrow after anti-government protesters lifted a blockade, a spokeswoman said as more flights left the terminal.

More than 40 flights were set to leave Suvarnabhumi Airport today although passengers must still check-in at a downtown Bangkok conference centre for the rest of the day.

The first flights for eight days took off from the airport yesterday after demonstrators abandoned their vigil in the wake of a court verdict that stripped the Prime Minister of his post and disbanded the ruling party.

“We have set 11 am (0930 IST) as the time we will return to normal operations at Suvarnabhumi,” a spokeswoman for the country’s airport agency said.

Today Thai Airways will operate 24 international flights while private-run Bangkok Airways is sending 18 flight plans for both domestic and international routes.

“At this moment outbound passengers still have to check in at Bitec (conference centre) or at airline offices, but inbound passengers are being fully processed through customs and immigration at the Suvarnabhumi,” she said.

The smaller Don Mueang domestic airport, which was also occupied by protesters, meanwhile quickly returned to full operations today with two domestic flights departing at 6.00 am. “There are 56 flights taking off and landing here today, the situation has returned to normal now,” airport’s director Anirut Thanomkulbutra said. — AFP

Jerusalem, December 4
In a startling revelation, a media report has said Israeli defence forces are preparing for a military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities single handedly that does not require coordination with the United States.

While Israel prefers to coordinate such an attack with the US, defence officials have said that Tev Aviv is drawing up a wide range of options for such an operation, ‘The Jerusalem Post’ reported.

“It is always better to coordinate,” one top defence ministry official told the daily adding, “but we are also preparing options that do not include coordination.” Israeli officials have said it would be difficult, but not impossible, to launch a strike against Iran without receiving codes from the US Air Force, which controls Iraqi airspace, the report said.

Israel had also asked for the codes in 1991 during the First Gulf War, but Washington refused.

“There are a wide range of risks one takes when embarking on such an operation,” a top Israeli official was quoted as saying.

Israeli daily Ha’aretz had recently reported that US President George Bush had refused to give Jerusalem a nod to attack on Iran to foil Islamic Republic’s nuclear ambitions.

Britain’s Guardian newspaper had claimed that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert requested for a green light from the US to attack the Persian country in May, but was denied.

The US, however, is said to have boosted Israel’s defence capabilities against an Iranian attack by deploying radars. — PTI

Colombo, December 4
A breakaway LTTE faction has struck an agreement with the Sri Lankan government and the UNICEF to release all child soldiers and end their recruitment.

Under the action plan, Tamil Makkal Viduthali Pullika (TMVP), founded by Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, alias Karuna Amman, a former commander of tiger supremo V. Prabhakaran and now a parliamentarian, agreed to release around 60 under age combatants, currently in its fold and reintegrate them into the society.

The agreement, which gives a deadline making it mandatory for the signatories to take steps within next three months, was signed by Karuna on Monday.

The signing ceremony was attended by Chief Minister of the eastern province Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pillayan, Commissioner General for Rehabilitation Suhada Gamalath and UNICEF Representative in Sri Lanka Philippe Duamelle. — PTI