China combative ahead of talks with Dalai's envoys

Beijing: China, on Saturday, appeared in a combative mood ahead of a keenly-watched meeting with the Dalai Lama's envoys, the first since the Tibet unrest erupted, as it blamed the monk for instigating the riots in his "last bout of madness".

Two representatives of the Dalai Lama, living in exile in India, would meet Chinese officials in the booming Shenzen city in south China from Sunday.

Chinese government on Saturday announced that its officials would meet "private representatives" of the Dalai Lama but it made no mention of the venue for the dialogue.

Official Xinhua news agency, quoting official sources said, central government officials Zhu Weiqun and Sitar will hold "contacts and consultations" with the Dalai Lama's representatives Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen.

"It is hoped that through contact and consultation, the Dalai side will take credible moves to stop activities aimed at splitting China, stop plotting and inciting violence and stop disrupting and sabotaging the Beijing Olympic Games so as to create conditions for talks," the agency quoted an official as saying.

Prodded by international community, China had offered to reopen talks with the Dalai ahead of the Olympics in August, which it hopes will not be marred by protests launched by exiled Tibetans since March.

Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen, who arrived on a three-day visit on Saturday, would convey the Dalai Lama's "deep concerns" about the Chinese crackdown in Tibet and "also provide suggestions to bring peace in the region", the Tibetan government in exile based in Dharamshala said.

China has accused the Dalai Lama of having orchestrated the worst anti-government protests in two decades that erupted in Tibet. Beijing last week asked the 72-year old Nobel laureate to "cherish" the opportunity of the talks while repeating its conditions that he must stop "criminal acts of violence", attempts to "sabotage" the Olympics and separatist activities.

Ahead of the meeting billed as "informal talks", the state media was unsparing in its attack on the Dalai Lama.

"The Dalai clique's hopes of achieving Tibetan independence are increasing dim, and at this time when their hopes have been destroyed, the Dalai clique launched a bloody violent event-their last bout of madness," the Official Tibet daily said.

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"Patriotic people of Tibet strongly condemn and vehemently denounce the litany of crimes committed by the 14th Dalai Lama and his followers," the daily said

The Dalai Lama has condemned the violence and brushed aside Beijing's charge that he had a hand in the violence.

The overseas edition of People's Daily, the mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party of China, which has been persisting with anti Dalai Lama tirade, said the religious issue was "merely a card played by the Dalai clique to gain sympathy from some people".

The Dalai Lama, who fled to India after a failing uprising in 1959, has accused the Chinese government of committing "cultural genocide" in Tibet but Beijing maintains that Tibet is neither a religious or ethnic issue but one relating to its national unity and territorial integrity.

The Tibetan government in exile has said their representatives would meet the head of China's United Front Work Department, that comes under the CPCs Central Committee and often handles issues concerning Tibet and Taiwan.

Six rounds of talks have been held between the Dalai Lama's representatives and China since 2002 but were stalled last year.

Chinese government accuses the Dalai Lama and what it calls his "clique" with pursuing a separatist agenda of Tibet independence, but he has said he only wants greater autonomy

The protests have brought awkward global attention on China when it was preparing to host Olympics through which it is keen to showcase its arrival on global stage.

The Tibet issue haunted the Olympic global torch relay marked by disruptions in London, Paris and San Francisco.

The violence in Lhasa and other Tibetan populated areas has left 20 people dead and hundreds of others injured, according to official figures, but the Tibetan government in exile puts the number many times more.