Making reference to the incidents that had taken place in Lhasa and elsewhere since 10 March 2008, he condemned, on Parliament's behalf, all forms of violence and declared his solidarity with the Dalai Lama, who had accepted an invitation to come to the European Parliament in December 2008 as part of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue.
Atsaucoties uz notikumiem, kas kopš 2008. gada 10. marta risinās Lasā un citur, viņš Parlamenta vārdā nosodīja jebkādu tur notiekošo vardarbību un pauda solidaritāti ar Dalailamu, kurš, kā piebilda sēdes vadītājs, ir pieņēmis uzaicinājumu ierasties Eiropas Parlamentā 2008. gada decembrī saistībā ar Eiropas Kultūru dialoga gadu.