Beijing met 20 Dalai Lama delegations, says official
Beijing has received more than 20 delegations from the Dalai Lama since 1979 - six of them in the past six years - according to a senior Communist Party public relations official.
Sita, a vice-director of the United Front Work department of the Communist Party, told a press conference yesterday Beijing had tried to negotiate with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader.
'From 1979 till now, the Dalai Lama has sent over 20 teams of representatives to visit China,' he said. 'The Dalai's relatives, including his eldest brother, the second elder brother, the brother-in-law, his younger sister and some close associates all have visited.
'They held in-depth talks with cadres from relevant departments of the central government to discuss their concerns.'
The remarks by Mr Sita, a Tibetan, were made amid mounting international pressure on Beijing to reopen talks with the Dalai Lama.
The Tibetan leader has repeatedly said he wants to resolve the Tibet issue with Beijing through negotiations.
But China has accused the 'Dalai clique' of conducting secessionist movement and blamed him for instigating the violent protests in Lhasa on March 14 and fanning unrest in other Tibetan cities.
Mr Sita said Beijing should not bear the blame for the breakdown of communication. He said the central government had tried to talk to the Dalai Lama.
'Since 2002, the Dalai's emissaries have held six rounds of talks with relevant central officials. Relevant departments of the central government have also organised trips for them to visit the Tibet autonomous region and other provinces,' he said.
Apart from Tibet, he said the Dalai Lama's representatives had been to Guangdong, Yunnan , Guangxi and the Hebei city of Chengde , which features a royal Tibetan temple fashioned after the Potala Palace in Lhasa.
It is rare for Beijing to reveal details of its contacts with the Dalai Lama. Their dialogue broke down abruptly in July last year. Mr Sita blamed the Dalai Lama for lack of progress in the talks.
'These contacts brought no progress because of the lack of sincerity from the Dalai Lama. They have not given up Tibet independence and they have not stopped separatist activities,' the party official said.
The Dalai Lama, on the other hand, has openly declared he was not pursuing independence of Tibet but rather self-rule apart from foreign affairs and defence.
Mr Sita yesterday reiterated that China would only be willing to hold talks with the Dalai Lama if he stopped efforts to sabotage the Olympics, although the Dalai Lama has denied claims that he was behind the riots.
Meanwhile, chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region Qiangba Puncog yesterday put the number of arrests in the Lhasa riot at 953.
He said 403 of those arrested had been formally charged, while 362 suspects had turned themselves in - 328 of whom had been released.
