Taipei  - Three Taiwan groups, angry that President Ma Ying-jeou said it was not a good time for the Dalai Lama to visit, plan to invite the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader to come to Taiwan for religious purposes, reports said Tuesday.

Kaohsiung County Magistrate Ynag Chiu-hsing on Monday joined Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu and the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in welcoming the Dalai Lama to visit Taiwan.

Gdansk, Poland - Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama called for a "century of dialogue" and disarmament, while praising Poland's spirit in face of hardship during celebrations in Gdansk that marked the 25th anniversary of Lech Walesa receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.

The spiritual leader called for dialogue and stressed interdependence and cooperation. He said while Poland's interest depended on Europe, it was also a case that "Europe's interest depends on the rest of the world."

Taipei - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou Friday said he welcomes Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to visit, but only when the time is "appropriate."

"When the timing is appropriate, we welcome him to visit Taiwan to engage in various religious activities because he has many worshippers in Taiwan," said Ma, in an attempt to pacify a growing outcry over his recent hint of declining to host the Dalai Lama.

In a meeting with a group of Italian lawmakers, Ma said Taiwan welcomes all religious leaders to visit the island for religious activities.

He said the Dalai Lama, who has visited Taiwan twice, is highly respected by many worshippers on the island.

Taipei - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou came under attack Thursday for refusing to allow Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to visit Taiwan.

Parliament speaker Wang Jin-pyng urged Ma to reconsider his decision while some lawmakers blasted Ma for kowtowing to China, which sees the Dalai Lama as a "splittist."

"Dalai Lama is the most-trusted and most-revered religious leader. If we look at it from the religious point of view, then we should reconsider," he told parliament.

Wang said Taiwan should find a way to allow the Dalai Lama to visit Taiwan while not affecting Taipei-Beijing ties, which have improved since Ma took office in May.

Taipei  - Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, said Friday that he hopes to visit Taiwan in 2009, in what would be his first visit in seven years and an apparent reversal of a policy of avoiding the island for fear of angering China.

"Taiwan-China ties are developing smoothly, so maybe this is a good time, the Dalai Lama told Elta TV in the northern Indian city of Dharamsala. "I haven't visited Taiwan for several years, but I have never forgotten Taiwan."

The Dalai Lama praised Taiwan's democracy in the televised interview.

Dharamshala, Nov 23 : Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Sunday said that he is not planning to retire, quashing speculation about the future of the
73-year-old leader.

Speculation had been growing that the Nobel Prize winner, who fled into exile in 1959 after an unsuccessful uprising in Tibet, will have to play a less forceful political role in future, especially if his health begins to fail.

While addressing a news conference on Sunday at Dharamsala, seat of Tibetan government in exile, in Himachal Pradesh, after a meeting of hundreds of Tibetans this week, Dalai Lama said, till his death he is committed to the Tibetan cause.