Source : phayul.com

Dharamsala, May 25 - The Tibetan leader Dalai Lama has turned down an appeal by exile Tibetans to be the "ceremonial head of state". The 1989 Nobel Laureate who announced his decision in March to relinquish his political and administrative powers today told the participants of the second Tibetan General Meeting that he can not accept the role of a "ceremonial head of state". 

The Dalai Lama, however, said he will go through the report submitted by the second Tibetan General Meeting to him.

The Tibetan leader Wednesday met over 400 participants from around 25 countries at an audience that was closed to the media. 

The second Tibetan General Meeting concluded Tuesday with the participants reaching a consensus to appeal the Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama to assume a role of “ceremonial head of the state”.

A 4-day meeting that was attended by 418 Tibetans from various parts of the world divided the participants into 10 committees that discussed the draft amendments to the Tibetan Charter concerning mainly with the political and administrative powers of the Dalai Lama.

The Speaker of the Tibetan parliament Penpa Tsering said Tuesday,“If His Holiness refuses to accept the appeal of the second Tibetan General Meeting then we will have to sit down and discuss ways to devolve the powers in Article 19 of the Charter to the three organs of democracy.” 

A final compiled report from the recommendations by the 10 committees was presented to His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the audience today. 

The Tibetan legislators will meet for two days starting May 26 for a special session to discuss and evaluate the proposed amendments to the Charter and Preamble.