The Tibetan government-in-exile welcomed China's willingness for more talks with its envoys, but reiterated the conditions outlined in its last memorandum to Beijing.
“His Holiness the Dalai Lama is always ready to engage with the Chinese leadership to find a mutually acceptable solution to the problems of the Tibetan people,” Tibetan Government-in-Exile Prime Minister Samdhong Lobsam Tenzin, the Samdhong Rinpoche, said in a statement issued late on Saturday.
A memorandum of “genuine autonomy” for Tibet was presented to Beijing last October during the eighth round of talks with China.
“The memorandum clearly outlines the aspirations of the Tibetan people strictly within the constitutional principles of the People's Republic of China. Premier Wen Jiabao [溫家寶] appears to be trying to avoid acknowledging this document,” the statement said.
Chinese officials and envoys of the Dalai Lama — branded by Beijing as “splittist” — have held several rounds of talks, but little of substance has been achieved.
Wen said on Friday that China was open to more talks with envoys for the Dalai Lama as long as the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader renounced what Beijing described as separatism.
The Dalai Lama marked March 10, the 50th anniversary of a failed uprising against Chinese rule, with a speech calling for “meaningful autonomy” for Tibet in the north Indian town of Dharamsala, seat of his Tibetan government-in-exile.
The latest statement reiterated that the Dalai Lama was not seeking separation.
Thubten Samphel, a spokesman, said they would not negotiate on their core demands.
“These are our core demands. We will not dilute them, we will not climb down,” he said.
The Dalai Lama, “is not seeking separation” and hopes China will demonstrate sincerity in dealing with the region, the government-in-exile said.
Wen’s allegations that the Dalai Lama sought to separate Tibet from China were far from the truth, Rinpoche, said in a statement on the government-in-exile’s Web site late on Saturday. The international community is aware of the facts, which don’t need further clarification, the statement said.
The Dalai Lama is bidding to separate Tibet from China and the government won’t tolerate foreign interference, Wen said on Friday.
The comments came as US President Barack Obama called on China to renew talks with the Dalai Lama over the region’s future.
The US and human rights groups have stepped up pressure on China to change its policies in Tibet to coincide with this month’s 50th anniversary of the anti-Chinese uprising.
Rinpoche welcomed Wen's statement on continuing talks with the representatives of the Dalai Lama and said the Buddhist leader was always ready to engage with the Chinese leadership to find a mutually acceptable solution to the problems of the Tibetan people.
“A memorandum on genuine autonomy was presented to China on Oct. 31, last year, during the eighth round of talks,” Rinpoche said. “It outlines the aspirations of the Tibetan people strictly within the constitutional principles of China.”
Wen appears to be trying to avoid acknowledging this document by referring to some past statements by the Dalai Lama, Rinpoche said.
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