Cdn. ambassador says western media has been hoodwinked by spiritual leader

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OTTAWA - China's ambassador to Canada held an extraordinary news conference yesterday where he likened Tibet's traditional governance to Nazi Germany and called the country's exiled spiritual leader a serial liar.

"The Dalai Lama has been telling lies to the world for decades," Lu Shumin told a group of invited journalists at the Chinese Embassy.

Lu said western media have been hoodwinked by the Dalai Lama.

He also claimed that prior to China's takeover in 1959, Tibet resembled "medieval Europe" and cited a mid-1930s trip to the mountainous enclave by a Nazi official who, Lu said, found much in common with the Tibetan system of governance.

The highly unusual event came as international pressure increases on China to show restraint in dealing with Tibetan demonstrators who are seeking greater freedom from Beijing's control.

The ambassador showed a lengthy video which he said portrayed violent street demonstrations by Tibetan separatists in the capital of Lhasa that had to be suppressed.

Lu said the violence is a result of the Dalai Lama's direct influence, adding he didn't have time to recite all the evidence.

In fact, the Dalai Lama threatened to resign if violent protests continued.

Lu vowed the Olympic torch relay will travel across Tibet, despite the threat of violent protests.

Lu shrugged off talk that Canadian government officials could boycott the Olympic opening ceremonies as a result of the crackdown, saying no one has yet confirmed their attendance.

"Any remarks made accusing China of so-called human rights suppression or things in that direction, I would consider that irresponsible and inappropriate and that it's interference in China's internal affairs," Lu said of Canadian criticisms.

Lu's comments came the same day that U.S. President George W. Bush expressed concern about Tibet in a phone call to Chinese President Hu Jintao.

And Belgium's Vice-Premier Didier Reynders hinted at an athlete boycott yesterday, telling Le Soir newspaper that staying away from China "is not an option that we reserve today. But we can never exclude the worst."

A day earlier, French President Nicolas Sarkozy had suggested he might boycott the opening ceremonies in Beijing.