Dalai destroying base for dialogue

Source: Xinhua | 04-10-2008 09:19

BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) -- A senior official said here Wednesday that the Dalai Lama is destroying the base for dialogue with the central government by stirring up violence in Tibet and encouraging the disruption of the Beijing Olympics.

"The Dalai Lama should stop all secessionist activities so as to create a basic environment for dialogue with the central government," said Sitar, deputy head of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. "Our door to conduct dialogue with the Dalai Lama is still open now."

Since March, Sitar said, the Dalai Lama clique has instigated violence in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, and other Tibetan-populated areas in West China.

"The Dalai clique's activities behind the violence and the latest organized disruptions of the Olympic torch relay in both Paris and London greatly hurt the feelings of the Chinese people, and damaged the basic conditions and atmosphere for dialogue," Sitar said at a press briefing hosted by the State Council Information Office.

The government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) always shows the utmost sincerity and patience in keeping contact with the Dalai Lama, Sitar said, citing that the Dalai Lama's personal representatives have had six meetings with high-ranking CPC officials since 2002.

They were escorted to various areas in China to better understand economic development and the implementation of regional autonomy of ethnic groups system, the official said.

From 1979 until now, the Dalai Lama has sent more than 20 delegations, which included many of the Dalai Lama's close relatives, to China. Relevant departments discussed with those delegations on some issues they are concerned with, Sitar said.

"The root cause for no progress after so many contacts is that the Dalai Lama is not sincere: he has proved this by not giving up the 'Tibet independence' stand," Sitar said.

Editor:Zhang Ning