Stop 'separatist' actions: China tells Dalai Lama

PTI[Wednesday, August 27, 2008]

By ANIL K JOSEPH

BEIJING, AUGUST 26 - Annoyed by his high-profile visit to France, China today asked the ageing Dalai Lama to stop his "separatist" activities and take "concrete actions" for future talks on the vexed Tibet issue.

"We still hope that the Dalai Lama will stop his separatist activities and in his late years, make more contributions to the development of Tibet and his motherland," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said while commenting on the legendary Tibetan leader's recent visit to France, including his meeting with the French first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.

He said Chinas policy on the Tibet issue was consistent and clear-cut. "The door for talks and contact with the Dalai side is always open," he said adding that it is "imperative for the Dalai side to take concrete actions to create favourable conditions for talks and contacts."

"As to the specific question (on future round of talks), please refer to competent authorities," he said at a regular Foreign Ministry briefing.

Asked to comment on reports that the Dalai Lama had claimed that some 140 Tibetan protesters were killed recently in police firing in Garze, a Tibetan-majority town in southwest China's Sichuan province near the border with Tibet, Qin rejected the reports.

"There are always contradictions between his words and I suggest you ask him to present evidence to show the number of casualties," the spokesman told a French reporter.

During his visit to France last week, the Dalai Lama had denounced Chinese repression in Tibet when he met French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. President Nicolas Sarkozy had declined to meet the Dalai Lama to avoid "serious consequences" to bilateral relations with China.