Photo by Oriol Gascon

Unlike Kosovo Tibet has a recorded history of statehood extending back to 127 B.C. Tibetan nation used to have its own Government, its own Foreign Office, treaty relations with other countries, distinct culture, history, language and religion. Before the Chinese invasion of 1950 Tibet was spread over 2.5 million sq km (965,255 sq mi), representing almost 25% of China's landmass, while Kosovo is less than 11,000 sq km (4,203 sq mi).

Nevertheless, Tibet will not become independent in the foreseeable future, and there are at least 5 reasons for that:

1. As a result of China's policy of population transfer, the non-Tibetan population has increased many times, reducing Tibetans to an insignificant minority in their own country. The language, customs and traditions of Tibet are gradually fading away. On the contrary it was Albanian population growth that slowly overwhelmed the ethnic Serbs in Kosovo.

2. Becoming more and more dependent on Chinese import United States will not support Tibet independence. In historic perspective this is not entirely something new, since American cowboy attitude (profits first!) towards native people is well known.

3. Fearing separatist movements on its own territory India will block Tibet independence as it already happened in the past. In November 1950 Tibet appealed to the United Nations for international assistance to oppose Chinese annexation. The Indian delegate to the United Nations opposed the inclusion of the question on the agenda. The issue was dropped on India's insistence.

4. China is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and a nuclear superpower, which makes a lot of difference.

5. Unlike oily tracks running through Kosovo, no major oil-pipeline will pass through Tibet.

All the Dalai Lama is asking today is autonomy, but the world turns its back to him and applauds to Kosovo's clamor.