The Tibetan spiritual leader's 12-day visit to France, coinciding largely with the Beijing Olympics, is devoted mostly to spiritual matters. But Wednesday offered two opportunities to discuss the issue of tensions in Tibet -- a news conference and a meeting with French lawmakers.

French deputies who attended the closed-door meeting said the Dalai Lama told them violence by Chinese authorities in Tibet continues.

"He said the repression is hard and fierce," said Louis de Broissia, a senator for French President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party. A Senate statement said the Dalai Lama spoke of "arbitrary arrests, summary executions and torture to death."

At a news conference, the Dalai Lama said the international community "should be firm" with China on the issues of democracy, human rights, religious freedom and the rule of law.

"But we should not isolate China" and instead bring it into the international community with "genuine friendship," he said.

"After the Olympics, what will happen?" he asked. "I don't know. Wait and see."

Leaders in Beijing see the Olympics as a chance to showcase their country's emergence as a new world power. Critics are increasingly using the attention the games are attracting to condemn what they say is China's failure to follow through on pledges to improve human rights included with China's bid to host the games.

In a report released before the Olympics, the International Campaign for Tibet said that since anti China protests in March, armed soldiers have surrounded the Himalayan region's Buddhist monasteries. Hundreds of Tibetans have been detained or "disappeared," it said.

Many Tibetans insist they were an independent nation before communist troops invaded in 1950, while Beijing says it has been part of Chinese territory for centuries.

The Dalai Lama told reporters China "deserves" to host the Games -- though China has accused him of being insincere.

Before heading to Beijing for the opening ceremony, U.S. President George W. Bush expressed "deep concerns" over religious freedom and individual rights in China. The Dalai Lama approved his tactic of being firm and friendly, saying "that's the way" to negotiate with China.

"The Chinese themselves are very, very keen to join the world community," he said.

"At the same time, the world community also has more responsibility to bring China in the mainstream of world democracy," he said. "That's very important."

Chinese authorities blame the Dalai Lama for recent unrest in Tibet, which Beijing says was part of a campaign to split the Himalayan region from the rest of China.

The Dalai Lama has denied the accusations, saying that despite China's crackdown in Tibet, he still supports a solution of meaningful autonomy for the Tibetan people under China's rule, not independence.

The Dalai Lama said he was disappointed by the latest round of talks aimed at easing tensions between his supporters and China. His envoys met with Chinese authorities for a new round of talks last month.

France's government is keeping contacts with the Dalai Lama to a minimum during the visit -- prompting critics and human rights groups to accuse France of bowing to Chinese pressure over business contracts.

While Sarkozy does not plan to see the him this month, a government minister said the two men would meet Dec. 10, when Sarkozy welcomes Nobel Peace Prize winners to Paris. The president's office did not confirm the date, and a representative of the Dalai Lama would not comment on it.

Asked about the Dalai Lama's visit, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that China hoped France would "properly handle the Tibet-related issues."

"We hope France can work together with China to rule out any disruptions, to enhance our mutual trust and to maintain the momentum of development of bilateral relations," spokesman Qin Gang said.