Press Trust of India (PTI)
November 5, 2009

Itanagar -- Around 50 newsmen, some representing
the foreign media, have so far contacted the
administration of the border town of Tawang In
Arunachal Pradesh for accommodation and permits
to cover the visit of Buddhist spiritual head the
Dalai Lama from November 8, official sources said.

Chief secretary Tabom Bam denied having received
any instruction from the Centre about
restrictions on foreign mediapersons following
the recent war of words between India and China over the visit.

China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as its own
territory, accused the Dalai Lama of seeking to
undermine Beijing's relationship with New Delhi
by visiting Tawang on the Sino-Indian border.
China had earlier opposed the visit.

Chairman of the state level reception committee,
TGR Rimpoche said he had heard of an advisory to
restrict the movement of foreign journalists,
"but it is not in black and white. It may be verbal."

Rimpoche, a close aide of Dalai Lama and a former
minister said according to his information some
foreign journalists have reached Tawang and some
more may go in the guise of tourists. "We cannot
drive them away from Tawang," he said.