Dalai Lama's Envoy Details Tibetan Proposals at China Talks

By - Associated Press
Friday, May 09, 2008 - Web Link
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May 8, 2008

The Dalai Lama's envoys and Chinese officials disagreed more than they agreed at weekend talks on how to move beyond the unrest in Tibet, one of the Tibetan spiritual leader's representatives said Thursday.

Both sides made "concrete proposals" that could be part of a future agenda for discussions on Tibet, said Lodi Gyari, a special envoy for the Dalai Lama.

But divisions remained between the two sides.

"We disagreed more than we agreed," Gyari said. "Our counterparts again made baseless allegations against the Dalai Lama for derailing and sabotaging the Beijing Olympics. But we made it very clear that the Dalai Lama supported the Olympics from day one."

Beijing has repeatedly accused the Dalai Lama and his supporters of fomenting recent anti-government protests in Tibet - an allegation the spiritual leader denies.

On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang again called on the Dalai Lama to "stop separatist activities."

"The Central Government's attitude is serious, honest and sincere," Qin said. "We hope the Dalai side will also exert sincerity with concrete actions, to truly stop separatist activities, stop plotting and provoking violent actions, and stop disrupting the Beijing Olympics so as to create the condition for further contacts."

The March demonstrations turned violent and sparked a security crackdown. The Chinese response spurred demonstrations that disrupted the Olympic torch's worldwide relay during several international stops.