As the Dalai Lama expressed hope that the talks between his envoys and China on the festering Tibet issue may resume next month, Beijing on Thursday said the dates for the parleys were still under discussion.
"As for the contact with the Dalai Lama, the timeframe is still under discussion," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular media briefing in Beijing.
Representatives of the Chinese government and the Tibetan leader, living in exile in India, had last month held fence- mending talks after the major powers ratcheted up pressure on Beijing to hold a dialogue on the issue of unrest in Tibet. In their first encounter, both sides had agreed to resume the dialogue but no dates for the next round of talks were
announced.
The Dalai Lama, currently on a visit to Australia to deliver a series of meditation lectures, earlier on Thursday, said in Sydney that he hoped that a new round of talks between his envoys and Chinese officials would take place "may be next month." The Dalai Lama, however, asserted "stability must come from the heart, not a gun."
China is now more focused on rehabilitation and relief work in southwest Sichuan region where a devastating earthquake a month ago had killed more than 69,000 people and rendered millions homeless.
On the meetings of the Dalai Lama with leaders of Australia, Qin said Chinese government firmly opposed his "engagement in separatist activities in any country with any itinerary."
"We firmly oppose any country providing support or convenience for Dalai's engagement in separatist activities. We request Australia to pay attention to our grave concern and not to allow Dalai to engage in separatist activities on Australian territory," Qin said.
Asked why Tibet was still being kept out of bounds for journalists, Qin said due to the violence in capital Lhasa, it
and the entire Tibet "are not open to the outside world." But, he said, "the responsibility should not fall on our
shoulders."
Asked on whom the responsibility should then fall, he replied, "Don't you know. Of course, it is Dalai's .. Dalai
clique's."
China had accused the Dalai clique or supporters of the Tibetan spiritual leader for the March unrest in the remote
Himalayan region.
On the Beijing Olympic torch relay in Tibet, he said the relay in the mainland would be adjusted as also in Tibet. The
specific arrangement would depend on the Beijing Olympic organising committee.
Complete coverage: The Tibet crisis