The Dalai Lama says he will resign as Tibetan leader if 'things'
went out of control in Tibet.

He said he would also completely retire as soon as he returns to Tibet with
a certain degree of freedom.

The Tibetan spiritual leader speaking to journalists at a special news
conference at his base in India's northern Dharamsala said that he would
relinquish his religious authority on his return to Tibet.

"Now, third, my commitment is about Tibet…so… that I am semi-retired
position. Now I am looking for complete retirement and as early as 1992 (in)
one of my political statements I made (it) clear as soon as I return to Tibet
with certain degree of freedom I will hand over all my religious authority to
the local Tibetan government…then I am no longer a leader," he said.

The Dalai Lama also reiterated his earlier stand that he would quit in case
the violence during the protest goes out of control.

"As early as 1987 again in this very room the British journalist
Jonathan Mirsky, I was interviewed here, he asked me if things become out of
control the violence…I told (him) if things (got) out of control my only
option is to completely resign, so same decision," he said.

He also added that China is an ambitious nation and wants to emerge as a
superpower but lacks 'moral authority'.

"Now in order to become superpower, number one, population, that's
already there, number two military power, that's also there including nuclear
weapons…..third economy then where these discussions took place modern 15
years ago, at that time still some kind of backwardness was there in the
economy, now it is rapidly developing ..so all three are more or less there.
Fourth thing is moral authority, now that's lacking in order to be super
power," said Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama, who fled into exile in India in 1959, denied Chinese
accusations he was inciting the rioting.

On Tuesday, China's premier Wen Jiabao had accused the Dalai Lama of
orchestrating riots in which dozens may have died.  Jiabao also said his
followers were trying to "incite sabotage" of Beijing's August
Olympic Games.

The Nobel peace laureate says he wants autonomy for Tibet within China but
not outright independence.

He has also upheld the Chinese right to hold the Beijing Olympics.

Monk-led anti-China protests in Lhasa, the biggest in almost two decades,
turned ugly on Friday, weighing uncomfortably on the Communist leadership
anxious to polish its image in the build-up to the Olympic Games.

India hosts the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, seat of the self-proclaimed
Tibetan government-in-exile and the scene of daily protests for the past one
week.