There is no need now to discuss the issues related to the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, Padma Choling, chairman of the Tibet autonomous regional government said Sunday.

The chairman made the remarks at a press conference on the sidelines of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

"The 14th Dalai Lama is still alive, and I think there is no need now to excessively talk about his reincarnation," Padma Choling told hundreds of domestic and overseas journalists.

The Dalai Lama has previously made a series of assertions, saying that he might choose his reincarnation when alive, that he could stop his reincarnation, that his reincarnation could be designated, that his reincarnation could be a female, or that his reincarnation would be found inside or even outside China.

"People don't know which assertion is what he really wants," Padma Choling said.

He said the reincarnation of Living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism should follow strict historical conventions and religious rituals.

"There have been 14 Dalai Lamas... It is unreasonable to do whatever he wants (about reincarnation) when it comes to the 14th Dalai Lama. There's no way for him to do so," said Padma Choling, adding the 14th Dalai Lama himself was approved by the Nationalist Government, the then central regime of China.

Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the Standing Committee of Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Congress, the regional legislature, said: "If the religion and the reincarnation issues serve separatists and politics, the Tibetan Buddhism disciples won't agree."

Qiangba Puncog said the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama must meet all the traditional requirements in four aspects: irreligious rituals, historical conventions passed on since the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), lot drawing from the Golden Urn in the face of the Buddha Sakyamuni and the approval from the central government.

"Any claimed reincarnation that fails to meet all these requirements will be illegitimate and invalid," he added.

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2010)