(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-05 07:10

SHENZHEN: Central government officials and the private representatives of the Dalai Lama agreed after a meeting yesterday to hold another round of contact at an appropriate time.

The meeting, arranged at the repeated requests made by the Dalai side for resuming talks, was held between central government officials Zhu Weiqun and Sitar (who uses only one name) and the Dalai Lama's two private representatives, Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen.

The two representatives, who arrived in the southern city on Saturday, expressed their views and said they would report truthfully on what had been discussed at the meeting to the Dalai Lama, sources told Xinhua.

Zhu and Sitar patiently answered the questions raised by the two representatives and exchanged views with them on future contacts and consultations, the sources said.

"The two sides agreed that another round of contact would be held at an appropriate time," the sources said.

During the meeting, Zhu and Sitar pointed out that the riots in Lhasa on March 14 had given rise to new obstacles for resuming contact and consultations with the Dalai side.

However, the central government still arranged the meeting with great patience and sincerity, they said.

Earlier yesterday, President Hu Jintao said in Beijing that he hoped the Shenzhen meeting could yield "positive results".

"Our policy toward the Dalai Lama is clear and consistent, and the door for dialogue remains open," Hu told Japanese journalists.

According to Zhu and Sitar, it is the hope of the central government that to create conditions for the next round of contact and consultation, the Dalai side would live up to their word and take credible action to stop activities aimed at splitting China, stop plotting and inciting violence, and stop disrupting and sabotaging the Beijing Olympic Games, the sources said.

The officials said the Lhasa riots had jeopardized the fundamental interests of all the Chinese including Tibetans.

Xinhua

(China Daily 05/05/2008 page1)