Welcome to Hard Talk. I'm Sarah Montague. It's more than 60 years since the Dalai Lama fled Tibet

and set up a government in exile, hopeful of one day going back. Since then, China has banned

any mention of the spiritual leader in his homeland, and there are reports of widespread human

rights abuses. My guest today is the president of that self-declared government in exile.

Pemper Tering, will he ever get to see his ancestral homeland, let alone govern it?

Pemper Tering, welcome to a hard talk.

Thank you.

What is the dream? What is it that you want for Tibet?

Considering the reality of the situation and the common interests of people,

now we are asking for autonomy rather than independence,

a genuine autonomy, not only in name, but also in essence.

That is what we are looking for.

To resolve the sign of Tibet conflict in a non-violent, peaceful means through negotiation

that should be mutually beneficial and lasting.

Okay, so just to be clear, because China's foreign ministry spokesperson

who said the so-called Tibetan government in exile is an out-and-out separatist political group.

You're saying that you are no longer that.

You accept that Tibet is part of China.

Whether it's part of China, of course, in future, if the Tibetan issue is resolved, then we can be part of China.

But historically, Tibet has been an independent country.

So what we are asking for, considering the reality of the situation inside Tibet, whether the Tibetan identity

will remain alive or not. That is the biggest question for us. So to preserve the Tibetan identity,

...