Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has announced a long-awaited plan to devolve his political responsibilities to an elected figure.
The Dalai Lama said he would begin the formal process of stepping down at a meeting of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile next Monday.
He said the move would be to the long-term benefit of Tibetans.
The announcement came in a speech by the Dalai Lama marking the anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising.
"As early as the 1960s, I have repeatedly stressed that Tibetans need a leader, elected freely by the Tibetan people, to whom I can devolve power," he said in Dharamsala, the Indian town that has become his base.
"Now, we have clearly reached the time to put this into effect".
He added that his decision was not made because he wanted to "shirk responsibility" or felt disheartened, emphasising that it was in the best interests of the Tibetan people.
When parliament met next week, he would formally propose the constitutional amendments necessary to devolve formal authority to an elected leader, he said.
Correspondents say that whoever replaces the Dalai Lama faces a daunting task, because no other Tibetan comes close to matching his authority as a spiritual and political leader.
They say his move is part of a wider struggle between Dharamsala and Beijing over who succeeds the Dalai Lama. BBC News
