Dalai Lama envoy: China talks difficult
AP[Friday, July 04, 2008 14:44]
By ASHOK SHARMA
NEW DELHI, July 4 ? An envoy for the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader said
Friday that the latest round of talks with China were "one of the most
difficult sessions" held so far, but that he will return for more
discussions after the Beijing Olympics.
Lodi Gyari said during the meetings he countered China's accusations that
the Dalai Lama planned to sabotage next month's Olympics and was behind
anti-government protests that rocked Tibet and other Tibetan-inhabited
areas of China in March.
"Such baseless accusations make the Chinese government really look
ridiculous in the eyes of the world," Gyari said. "This time they realized
that labeling his Holiness being responsible for the present disturbances
in Tibet and accusing him of sabotaging the Olympics is something that no
one buys."
Gyari called the discussions "one of the most difficult sessions" the two
sides have had, but said they agreed to meet again after the Olympics.
"I told my Chinese counterparts very candidly that if there is not
seriousness on their part it is almost pointless for us to waste each
other's time," Gyari told re****ters at the New Delhi air****t Friday before
returning to Dharmsala, the base for Tibet's government-in-exile.
Two days of meetings were held this week in Beijing between Chinese
officials and the Dalai Lama's envoys.
Gyari said he was not expecting a breakthrough in the negotiations anytime
soon.
"My Chinese counterpart said we have 50 years of unfortunate legacy behind
us. Therefore it would take time to resolve the Tibetan issue. I do agree
with that," he said.
Some experts believe Beijing agreed to the talks to ease international
criticism that it was too heavy handed in its response to the
demonstrations in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa in March.
Du Qinglin, head of the United Front Work Department said the Dalai Lama
should "openly and explicitly" promise and prove through his actions that
he does not sup****t disruptions of the Beijing Olympics, nor plots to
incite violence, re****ted the state Xinhua News Agency .
He also told the Tibetan envoys that the door of dialogue was always open.
China has governed Tibet since communist troops marched into the Himalayan
region in the 1950s. The Dalai Lama, who fled to India amid a failed
uprising in 1959, has said he wants some form of autonomy that would allow
Tibetans to freely practice their culture, language and religion.
Source:
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=21837&article=Dalai+Lama+envoy%3a+China+talks+difficult
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