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Dalai Lama aides open China talks 'No agreement' during Tibet talks
(about 7 hours later)
Envoys of Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama have held their first talks with China since violent protests erupted in Tibet in March. A day of talks between Chinese officials and representatives of the Dalai Lama have ended without agreement, Chinese state media say.
Chinese President Hu Jintao has said he hopes the talks, in Shenzhen, just over the border from Hong Kong, will have a positive outcome. They say both sides agreed to further meetings on how to end the turmoil in Tibet, but fixed no date for them.
Chinese media have continued to accuse the "Dalai clique" of trying to wreck the Beijing Olympics this summer. The meeting - in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen - was the first since violent protests by Tibetans in March.
A Dalai Lama spokesman said he feared China saw the talks as a "PR exercise". Beijing says the Dalai Lama incited the violence. He denies this and accuses the government of human rights abuses.
Following the meeting, China's official Xinhua news agency said a further round of talks would be held at an "appropriate" time. Commenting on Sunday's talks, China's state-run Xinhua news agency said: "The central government hoped that to create conditions for the next round of contact and consultation."
Autonomy demandsAutonomy demands
Western governments have been pressing China to renew dialogue with the Dalai Lama. Western governments have been pressing China to renew dialogue with the Tibet's exiled spiritual leader.
The two sides have met several times since 2002, but without any concrete results.The two sides have met several times since 2002, but without any concrete results.
TIBET DIVIDE China says Tibet was always part of its territoryTibet enjoyed long periods of autonomy before 20th century1950: China launched a military assaultOpposition to Chinese rule led to a bloody uprising in 1959Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled to India Q&A: Tibet and China Key events in Tibet unrest TIBET DIVIDE China says Tibet was always part of its territoryTibet enjoyed long periods of autonomy before 20th centuryIn 1950, China launched a military assaultOpposition to Chinese rule led to a bloody uprising in 1959Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled to India Q&A: Tibet and China Key events in Tibet unrest The Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile have been based in India since fleeing Tibet in 1959, nine years after China sent troops into the region to enforce a territorial claim.
The Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile have been based in India since fleeing Tibet in 1959, nine years after China sent troops into the region to enforce a territorial claim. Anti-China protests led by Buddhist monks began in Lhasa on 10 March this year and gradually escalated into rioting.
Tenzin Taklha, a spokesman for the Dalai Lama, told the BBC the talks were a chance to explore a solution to the dispute over Tibet.
"We see this as an opportunity to meet the Chinese, to express our concerns about the ongoing repression, and to make some suggestions about how to address the grievances of the Tibetan people," he said.
"At the same time, we also have to consider that this could be a whole PR exercise for the Chinese, and that they want to show the world that they are engaged with His Holiness [the Dalai Lama] but they don't intend to actually address the issue seriously."
Tenzin Taklha also denied the Dalai Lama had sought to foment unrest.
"He's the last person who's going to want to instigate violence and he's been supportive of the Olympics," he said.
Anti-China protests led by Buddhist monks began in Lhasa on 10 March and gradually escalated into rioting.
China says at least 19 people were killed by the rioters - but Tibetan exiles say that nearly 100 were killed by the Chinese security forces as they moved to quell the unrest.China says at least 19 people were killed by the rioters - but Tibetan exiles say that nearly 100 were killed by the Chinese security forces as they moved to quell the unrest.
The unrest was the worst in the region in 20 years.The unrest was the worst in the region in 20 years.
After the riots, pro-Tibetan protesters threw China's global Olympic torch relay into disarray as it passed through several cities, including London, Paris and San Francisco.After the riots, pro-Tibetan protesters threw China's global Olympic torch relay into disarray as it passed through several cities, including London, Paris and San Francisco.
The Dalai Lama has repeated his position that he wants increased autonomy for Tibet within China, not independence.The Dalai Lama has repeated his position that he wants increased autonomy for Tibet within China, not independence.