Dalai's envoys in China for talks

The Dalai Lama's special envoy Lody Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen who arrived in Hong Kong on Saturday would hold meetings with the Chinese officials in Shenzhen from Sunday, the Tibetan government-in-exile, based in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, said.

The representatives would convey "deep concerns over China's handling" of the situation in Tibet and would put forward "suggestions to bring peace to the region", it said.

China had invited the envoys for talks amid unprecedented international pressure sparked by its massive crackdown on the worst anti-government protests in Tibet in two decades ahead of the Olympics in August.

Beijing has had six rounds of official talks with the Dalai Lama's envoys since 2002 before they were stalled last year.

But the Dalai Lama's office said the envoys will have only "informal talks" with representatives of the Chinese leadership this time.

While China on Saturday remained mum on the talks, the state media intensified its tirade against the Dalai Lama projecting Beijing's hardline stance on the issue.

"Patriotice people of Tibet strongly condemn and vehemently denounce the litany of crimes committed by the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and his followers," said the official of newspaper.

China has blamed the Dalai of stoking unrest in Tibet so as to undermine the Beijing Olympics through which the communist giant was keen to showcase its economic prowess.

"The Dalai clique's hopes of achieving Tibetan independence are increasing dim, and at this time when their hopes have been destroyed, the Dalai clique lauched a bloody violent event-their last bout of madness," the newspaper said.

Pro-Tibetan protests have marred the Olympic torch as it passed through several cities including London, Paris and San Francisco.

The Tibetan government in exile said the representatives during their three-day visit would meet the head of China's United Front Work Department that comes under the CPC's Central Committee and handles issues concerning Tibet and Taiwan.

The Dalai Lama, who fled to India after a failed uprising in 1959, has denied China's charge that he was behind the riots.

The Nobel laureate has accused the Chinese government of committing "cultural genocide" in Tibet but Beijing maintains that Tibet is neither a religious or ethnic issue but one relating to its national unity and territorial integrity.

The newspaper, however, rubbished the monk's assertion saying "the religion issue is merely a card played by the Dalai clique to garner sympathy from some people".

The US which has been prodding China to reopen talks with the Dalai Lama has said it was hoping that the issue of religious freedom will be discussed by the two sides.

"We have a situation in Tibet where people feel that they are unable to freely practice their religion, freely practice some of their cultural traditions and values, and this is an ongoing problem.

These are things that we would hope would be able to be discussed," State Department's Deputy Spokesman Tom Casey told reporters when asked what the United States would consider as a substantive discussion.

Source: By DDNEWS