China still 'ready' for talks with Dalai Lama

BEIJING, DEC.5. China today said its channels of communication with the Dalai Lama remained open but refused to make any concession for restarting negotiations to end the Tibet impasse.

``I would like to reaffirm here that there are channels for contact between China and the Dalai Lama. The channels are open'' Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Ms. Zhang Qiyue, told reporters when asked to comment on reports that the Dalai Lama's brother, Gyalo Thundup made a secret visit to Beijing in October.

``You can interpret it in your own way,''Ms. Zhang said while declining to confirm or deny the western media reports.

However, she restated China's pre-conditions for the resumption of talks aimed at the return of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's highest religious figure, to the Himalayan region.

``We have always adhered to the several principles in our contact with the Dalai Lama,''Ms. Zhang said. The Chinese preconditions for the resumption of talks between Beijing and the Dalai Lama calls for the latter to give up Tibetan independence, stop activities aimed at splitting China, openly declare Tibet as an inalienable part of China and accept Taiwan as integral part of China while accepting the Communist Government to be legitimate, representing the whole country.

``If the Dalai Lama can accept all these conditions, the central government is willing to have contacts with him and open negotiations, '' she said.

The Dalai Lama, campaigning for genuine autonomy for his homeland, told reporters in Dharamsala where he has been living in exile with his followers since 1959, that his brother had visited Beijing in late October at the invitation of the Chinese authorities.

- PTI

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