Ottawa: China's ambassador to Canada has said that the Dalai Lama is a serial liar who has fooled the world, and accused those who attack China's record on human rights of acting irresponsibly.

In a rare news conference at his embassy yesterday, Lu Shumin defended the Chinese military's crackdown on Tibetan protesters that is threatening to disrupt this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing.

"The Dalai Lama has presented himself to be a peaceful, angel like figure, for such a long time," Lu said.

"If you look at what the Dalai Lama is, what Tibet was like before 1959,you will find out really what Dalai Lama was and still is."

Lu also likened Tibet's traditional governance to Nazi Germany. He claimed that prior to China's takeover, Tibet resembled "medieval Europe" and cited a 1939 trip to the mountainous enclave by a Nazi official who, Lu said, found much in common with the Tibetan system of governance.

Lu's comments came the same day that US President George W. Bush expressed concern about Tibet, which has been racked by violent anti-Chinese protests this month, in a phone call to Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Chinese authorities claim the Dalai Lama's followers orchestrated the violence that broke out March 14 following a series of protests in Tibet's capital, Lhasa. World leaders have condemned China's ensuing crackdown on the protests.

But Lu countered that the Dalai Lama "has been telling lies to the world for decades," and chastised interference by foreign leaders.

Source : PTI