Tuesday, May 6, 2008, Rabi-ul-Sani 29, 1429    

China, Dalai Lama envoys talks end amid promises

Shenzhen, China — Envoys of the Dalai Lama left Monday after a day of talks with Chinese officials that ended in an agreement to meet again, in an apparent sign of progress in easing tensions raised by violent anti-government riots in Tibet.

Prime Minister Samdhong Rinpoche of the India-based Tibetan government-in-exile said that he did not expect definitive results from the meeting that ended Sunday but was happy for dialogue to continue.

“Both sides have agreed to continue the dialogue process,” he told reporters in Dharmsala, India. “Like we said before, we’re not expecting much outcome from these talks but this is a slow process and we are happy to continue the dialogue.”

Chinese state television and Xinhua News Agency also said a second round of talks had been agreed on. CCTV said on its noon news broadcast that the two Tibetan envoys had to report back to the Dalai Lama in India and that both sides “agreed to meet again at a suitable time.”

Xinhua said, however, that the Chinese officials told the Dalai Lama’s envoys that the protests had spawned new obstacles to communication.

International critics have accused China of heavy-handed tactics in quelling the anti-government riots and protests in Tibet and Tibetan areas of western China. Some experts believe Beijing agreed to meet with the envoys to defuse that criticism ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August.

Xinhua said the Chinese officials “answered patiently” questions raised by the Dalai Lama’s envoys. But Xinhua said the Chinese officials told the envoys the violent protests in March “had given rise to new obstacles for resuming contacts and consultations with the Dalai side.”

Even as the talks took place, China kept up its verbal attacks on the Dalai Lama, whom Beijing has blamed for fomenting the unrest. The Dalai Lama has repeatedly denied the accusation.

China says 22 people died in violence in Tibet’s capital of Lhasa in March, while overseas Tibet supporters say many more died in protests and a subsequent crackdown.

The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet during a failed uprising in 1959, says he is seeking meaningful autonomy for Tibet rather than independence from Chinese rule.—Agencies