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China, Dalai envoy to resume talks
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NewsByte on 08 May, 2008 04:19:33
 
By AMIT AGNIHOTRI
New Delhi, May 8: Despite serious differences of opinion on either side during
the informal talks between the special envoys of Dalai Lama and the Chinese
authorities, both the parties have agreed to continue the dialogue process.
"Despite major differences on important issues, both sides demonstrated a
willingness to seek common approaches in addressing the issues at hand. In this
regard, each side made some concrete proposals, which can be part of the future
agenda. As a result, an understanding was reached to continue the formal round
of discussions. A date for the seventh round of talks will be finalised soon
after mutual consultations," Lodi Gyari, Dalai Lama’s special envoy for the
talks, told this newspaper.
The two envoys, Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen met executive vice minister Zhu
Weiqun and vice minister Sithar of the United Front Work Department of the
Communist Party of China in Shenzhen, China on May 4, 2008. There have been six
rounds of formal delegation level talks so far between the two sides on the
issue of Tibet’s autonomy within the People’s Republic of China after the
Dalai Lama dropped the demand for independence long ago.
The Tibetan leaders said the two Chinese politicians have been their
counterparts for the past several years and the longevity of the relationship
probably helped the two sides have open and frank discussion in a friendly
atmosphere, despite the prevailing tense and grave situation in Tibet.
Detailing about the talks, the envoys agreed there were strong and divergent
views on the nature as well as the causes of the recent tragic events in Tibet.
"Our main purpose of seeking an informal meeting with the Chinese authorities
was to discuss the critical situation in Tibet. We have asked the Chinese to end
the current repression in Tibet, release the prisoners, allow the injured to get
proper medical treatments and unfettered access to their visitors including
international media," said Mr Gyari.
Rejecting the accusations against the Dalai Lama, the envoys told the Chinese
leaders that the events in Tibet are the inescapable consequence of the wrong
policies of the Chinese authorities towards the Tibetans, which goes back to
several decades.
Sounding a note of positivism, the envoy said that the recent statement of
Chinese President Hu Jintao that his government is "serious" about the dialogue,
is encouraging at a time when there is growing scepticism about China’s
sincerity in resolving the Tibet issue through dialogue.
"We also rejected the Chinese allegations that Dalai Lama has instigated the
Tibetans to stage protests in Tibet and elsewhere in the world," added Mr Gyari.