ID :
11169
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 10:07
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/11169
The shortlink copeid
Dalai Lama envoys arrive in Beijing for talks
BEIJING, July Kyodo - A group of envoys from the Dalai Lama arrived in Beijing on Monday for talks with Chinese government officials aimed at easing tension after Tibet and neighboring provinces were hit by riots earlier this year.
The group of five representatives sent by the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader
left Beijing airport from a VIP exit without answering questions from
reporters.
Officials from the Tibetan government-in-exile in India say the talks are
scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, but have not revealed the location of the
talks in Beijing or given details of the agenda.
The talks will mark the second time the two sides have met since the riots and
protests broke out in March and April.
Talks held in the southern Chinese city Shenzhen in May between two senior
envoys from the Dalai Lama and Chinese Communist Party officials ended without
any apparent breakthrough.
A statement released by the government-in-exile on Monday said, ''This meeting
is taking place at a crucial time. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has instructed
the envoys to make every effort to bring about tangible progress to alleviate
the difficult situation for Tibetans in their homeland.''
''It is hoped that this round of talks will contribute in resolving the
long-simmering issue through dialogue in the interest of stability, unity and
harmony of all nationalities in the People's Republic of China,'' the statement
added.
Government-in-exile officials told Kyodo News the envoys are unlikely to make
any statements to the press about the talks until after they have returned to
India and briefed the Dalai Lama.
Beijing has yet to comment on the announcement of the talks, other than a brief
statement issued by the official Xinhua News Agency over the weekend saying
that the discussions will take place in ''early July.''
''Our door is always open for the dialogue with the Dalai Lama,'' an unnamed
government official was quoted as saying. ''We hope that the Dalai Lama will
treasure this opportunity and give a positive response to the requirements of
the central authorities.''
China has accused the Tibetan spiritual leader and his supporters of organizing
the violence in Tibet and neighboring provinces earlier this year, an
allegation he has repeatedly denied, saying the riots were a spontaneous
expression of anger against Chinese government policies in Tibet.
Beijing also continues to accuse the Tibetan spiritual leader of plotting to
split Tibet from the rest of China. He says he merely seeks greater, genuine
autonomy for the region to protect its language, religion and culture.
The Dalai Lama fled Tibet to live in exile in India in 1959 after a failed
uprising against Chinese rule.
Kate Saunders, communications director at the U.S.-based pressure group the
International Campaign for Tibet, said she has been told by officials at the
Tibetan government-in-exile that the Dalai Lama's envoys will call for an
easing of the security crackdown in Tibetan areas to lessen tension in the
region.
''The Chinese government has said it hopes for a positive outcome in this
process of dialogue, but there has been no sign of any concrete measures,'' she
said. ''There is a climate of fear in Tibet and the envoys hope to see a
letting up in terms of the security measures. This is very much a step-by-step
process, so we are unlikely to see any dramatic solutions as a result of these
talks.''
Tibet's government-in-exile says more than 200 people were killed in the riots
and ensuing security crackdown in Tibet and neighboring areas, which began in
March.
The Chinese government says about 20 people died in the riots in Lhasa on March
14.
The Beijing negotiations will mark the seventh formal round of talks between
the Dalai Lama's envoys and the Chinese government since 2002, but none of the
previous discussions have yielded a significant breakthrough.
Beijing has come under diplomatic pressure, particularly from Europe and the
United States, to hold talks with the Dalai Lama's representatives after the
violence in Tibet earlier this year.
==Kyodo
The group of five representatives sent by the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader
left Beijing airport from a VIP exit without answering questions from
reporters.
Officials from the Tibetan government-in-exile in India say the talks are
scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, but have not revealed the location of the
talks in Beijing or given details of the agenda.
The talks will mark the second time the two sides have met since the riots and
protests broke out in March and April.
Talks held in the southern Chinese city Shenzhen in May between two senior
envoys from the Dalai Lama and Chinese Communist Party officials ended without
any apparent breakthrough.
A statement released by the government-in-exile on Monday said, ''This meeting
is taking place at a crucial time. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has instructed
the envoys to make every effort to bring about tangible progress to alleviate
the difficult situation for Tibetans in their homeland.''
''It is hoped that this round of talks will contribute in resolving the
long-simmering issue through dialogue in the interest of stability, unity and
harmony of all nationalities in the People's Republic of China,'' the statement
added.
Government-in-exile officials told Kyodo News the envoys are unlikely to make
any statements to the press about the talks until after they have returned to
India and briefed the Dalai Lama.
Beijing has yet to comment on the announcement of the talks, other than a brief
statement issued by the official Xinhua News Agency over the weekend saying
that the discussions will take place in ''early July.''
''Our door is always open for the dialogue with the Dalai Lama,'' an unnamed
government official was quoted as saying. ''We hope that the Dalai Lama will
treasure this opportunity and give a positive response to the requirements of
the central authorities.''
China has accused the Tibetan spiritual leader and his supporters of organizing
the violence in Tibet and neighboring provinces earlier this year, an
allegation he has repeatedly denied, saying the riots were a spontaneous
expression of anger against Chinese government policies in Tibet.
Beijing also continues to accuse the Tibetan spiritual leader of plotting to
split Tibet from the rest of China. He says he merely seeks greater, genuine
autonomy for the region to protect its language, religion and culture.
The Dalai Lama fled Tibet to live in exile in India in 1959 after a failed
uprising against Chinese rule.
Kate Saunders, communications director at the U.S.-based pressure group the
International Campaign for Tibet, said she has been told by officials at the
Tibetan government-in-exile that the Dalai Lama's envoys will call for an
easing of the security crackdown in Tibetan areas to lessen tension in the
region.
''The Chinese government has said it hopes for a positive outcome in this
process of dialogue, but there has been no sign of any concrete measures,'' she
said. ''There is a climate of fear in Tibet and the envoys hope to see a
letting up in terms of the security measures. This is very much a step-by-step
process, so we are unlikely to see any dramatic solutions as a result of these
talks.''
Tibet's government-in-exile says more than 200 people were killed in the riots
and ensuing security crackdown in Tibet and neighboring areas, which began in
March.
The Chinese government says about 20 people died in the riots in Lhasa on March
14.
The Beijing negotiations will mark the seventh formal round of talks between
the Dalai Lama's envoys and the Chinese government since 2002, but none of the
previous discussions have yielded a significant breakthrough.
Beijing has come under diplomatic pressure, particularly from Europe and the
United States, to hold talks with the Dalai Lama's representatives after the
violence in Tibet earlier this year.
==Kyodo
