The Dalai Lama threatened Tuesday to step down as leader of Tibet’s government-in-exile if violence committed by Tibetans in his homeland spirals out of control.

The rioting prompted Premier Wen Jiabao to denounce the Dalai Lama’s supporters as separatists and accuse them of instigating the violence in Tibet’s capital of Lhasa. It was China’s highest-level response to date to the unrest.

The Dalai Lama, speaking to reporters, urged his countrymen to show restraint.

He said that “if things become out of control” his “only option is to completely resign.”

Later, one of his top aides clarified the Dalai Lama’s comments.

“If the Tibetans were to choose the path of violence he would have to resign because he is completely committed to nonviolence,” Tenzin Taklha said. “He would resign as the political leader and head of state, but not as the Dalai Lama. He will always be the Dalai Lama.”

The recent protests in the Tibetan capital Lhasa, led by monks, began peacefully March 10 on the anniversary of a failed 1959 uprising against Chinese rule. But they grew increasingly violent, culminating Friday with widespread street violence. Chinese officials say 16 people were killed, but the Tibetan government-in-exile put the toll at 80.

While the situation inside Tibet remains unclear, much of the violence appears to have been committed by Tibetans attacking ethnic Han Chinese, the majority ethnicity in China. In the days since then, worries have grown that Chinese troops trying to reassert control over Lhasa were exacting retribution against the Tibetans.

The Dalai Lama also called on Tibetan exiles beginning a six-month march from India to Lhasa to stop their march at the border.

“Will you get independence? What’s the use?” he said.

The protests have focused world attention on China’s human rights record ahead of this summer’s Beijing Olympics. The communist government in Beijing wants to ensure that the Aug. 8-24 Summer Olympics boosts its international image.

“By staging that incident they want to undermine the Beijing Olympics Games, and they also try to serve their hidden agenda by inciting such incidents,” Wen told reporters at a news conference held at the end of China’s national legislative meeting.

The hardline stance taken by the normally mild-mannered premier underscored the communist leadership’s determination to regain control over the region and ensure a smooth run-up to the Games.

“There is ample fact — and we also have plenty of evidence — proving that this incident was organized, premeditated, masterminded and incited by the Dalai clique,” Wen said. He gave no details.

Wen dismissed claims by the Dalai Lama that there was “cultural genocide” taking place in Tibet and said China will only consider dialogue with the Dalai Lama if the exiled spiritual leader was “willing to give up his proposition for so-called Tibetan independence.”