Dalai Lama's envoy says proposals made during talks with China, 1st Ld-Writethru, AS

Thu, May 8 06:31 PM

DHARMSALA, India (AP) _ The Dalai Lama's envoy said Thursday that he pressed the Chinese to release Tibetan prisoners and allow more foreigners into the largely cut-off region at weekend talks in China. Both sides made "concrete proposals" that could be part of a future agenda for discussions on Tibet, said Lodi Gyari, a special envoy for the Tibetan spiritual leader.

He did not provide any specifics of the proposals, but said the Tibetan side called for the release of people detained following the unrest that engulfed the region in March, and for authorities to let visitors including journalists into Tibet, which has been largely sealed since the violence. The Tibetan side also pressed for an end to China's "patriotic re-education" campaign in the region.

But it was far from clear that the Chinese were ready to listen. During the talks, "there were strong and divergent views on the nature as well as the causes of the recent tragic events in Tibet," Gyari said in a written statement released from Dharmsala, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile.

Beijing has repeatedly accused the Dalai Lama and his supporters of fomenting recent protests in Tibet an allegation the Tibetan spiritual leader denies. "We made it clear that the events in Tibet are the inescapable consequences of wrong policies of the authorities towards the Tibetans," he said.

"The recent crisis in Tibet is a clear symptom of deeply felt grievances and resentment of the Tibetans." The unrest marked the most widespread and sustained action against Beijing's rule in decades, focusing attention on accusations that China's policies in the Himalayan region are eroding its traditional Buddhist culture and mainly benefit Chinese who moved there since its 1951 occupation by Communist troops.

China says 22 people died in violence in Tibet's capital of Lhasa, while overseas Tibet supporters say many times that number have been killed in protests and the security crackdown across Tibetan regions of western China. Gyari said Thursday that he also reiterated the Dalai Lama's support for the Beijing Olympics at the talks.

Chinese officials have accused the Tibetan spiritual leader of trying to undermine the games. The talks were considered "informal," and Gyari said the two sides were now trying to finalize dates for formal discussions.

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