China says onus on Dalai Lama for further talks
China that the Dalai Lama must show sincerity if talks over Tibet were to continue, in an apparent reference to the Tibetan spiritual leader's alleged independence ambitions.
By Agencies |
BEIJING: China said on Tuesday that the Dalai Lama must show sincerity if talks over Tibet were to continue, in an apparent reference to the Tibetan spiritual leader's alleged independence ambitions.
"I want to stress that this current contact is only a beginning," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in the government's first direct comments on talks between Chinese officials and two of the Dalai Lama's envoys.
"The central government's contact with the Dalai is sincere. So long as the Dalai's side exerts sincerity, especially in its actions, then the contact will continue."
The talks, held in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen on Sunday, were the first meeting between the two sides in more than a year.
The Chinese government offered to hold the talks following sustained pressure from international leaders to reopen negotiations amid seven weeks of deadly unrest in Tibet and other parts of China with Tibetan populations.
One of the Dalai Lama's envoys gave a positive assessment of the talks on Tuesday, as he stopped in Hong Kong on his way back to the Tibetan government-in-exile's base in India.
"All very candid. We had very candid discussions," Lodi Gyari said. "It was a good first step."
Tibetans have risen up in protest against what they say has been nearly six decades of repression living under Chinese rule.
China has repeatedly accused the Dalai Lama of wanting independence for his homeland and of orchestrating the unrest in an effort to shine a world spotlight on Tibet ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August.
The 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner has rejected these accusations, but has accused China of widespread human rights violations against his people and maintained his push for greater Tibetan autonomy under Chinese rule.
China has long refused direct face-to-face talks with the Dalai Lama and banned him from returning to Tibet due to what it says is his lack of "sincerity" in renouncing Tibetan independence.
"I want to stress that this current contact is only a beginning," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in the government's first direct comments on talks between Chinese officials and two of the Dalai Lama's envoys.
"The central government's contact with the Dalai is sincere. So long as the Dalai's side exerts sincerity, especially in its actions, then the contact will continue."
The talks, held in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen on Sunday, were the first meeting between the two sides in more than a year.
The Chinese government offered to hold the talks following sustained pressure from international leaders to reopen negotiations amid seven weeks of deadly unrest in Tibet and other parts of China with Tibetan populations.
One of the Dalai Lama's envoys gave a positive assessment of the talks on Tuesday, as he stopped in Hong Kong on his way back to the Tibetan government-in-exile's base in India.
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"All very candid. We had very candid discussions," Lodi Gyari said. "It was a good first step."
Tibetans have risen up in protest against what they say has been nearly six decades of repression living under Chinese rule.
China has repeatedly accused the Dalai Lama of wanting independence for his homeland and of orchestrating the unrest in an effort to shine a world spotlight on Tibet ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August.
The 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner has rejected these accusations, but has accused China of widespread human rights violations against his people and maintained his push for greater Tibetan autonomy under Chinese rule.
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China has long refused direct face-to-face talks with the Dalai Lama and banned him from returning to Tibet due to what it says is his lack of "sincerity" in renouncing Tibetan independence.
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