The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Dharamshala

Envoys of the Dalai Lama were due to arrive in China later on Monday for fresh talks over they called the "long simmering issue" of Tibet, the Tibetan government-in-exile said. The formal seventh round of talks, initially to be held on June 11, were postponed following the massive earthquake that devastated parts of southwest China killing over 69,000 people and leaving millions homeless.

"The talks will be held on July 1 and 2 (Tuesday and Wednesday)," in Beijing, Tibetan prime minister-in-exile Samdhong Rinpoche told AFP. The Dalai Lama has repeatedly stated his opposition to Tibetan independence, but continues to seek "real and meaningful autonomy" for Tibet, which Beijing says is already an "autonomous region" within China. China and the Dalai Lama's representatives held an informal round of talks on May 4 after unrest against Chinese rule shook the Tibetan region two months earlier. "This (new) meeting is taking place at a crucial time," Chhime R. Chhoekyapa, the Dalai Lama's secretary, said in the northern Indian hill station of Dharamshala where the Tibetan government-in-exile is based.

"It is hoped this round of talks will contribute in resolving the long simmering issue through dialogue in the interest of stability, unity and harmony of all nationalities in the People's Republic of China," a statement from the Dalai Lama's office said.

At the May meeting in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, just over the border from Hong Kong, the Dalai Lama's envoys and the Chinese leadership agreed to continue the formal dialogue process launched in 2002 that broke off last year.

Beijing offered in April to reopen dialogue on Tibet, a move seen as a response to global protests over its crackdown on unrest in the region that has angered and embarrassed the leadership in Beijing ahead of the Olympics.

China has accused the Dalai Lama of fomenting the unrest in the region in an effort to sabotage the Olympics, a charge he has denied.

Deadly riots broke out on March 14 in the capital Lhasa after earlier peaceful protests to mark the anniversary of a failed 1959 uprising against Chinese rule.

A crackdown by Chinese authorities on the unrest brought international criticism of Beijing's policies in the Himalayan region.

The Dalai Lama fled into exile after the 1959 uprising and set up his government-in-exile in Dharamshala.

Beijing says it acted with restraint to quell the Tibetan "rioters" and "insurgents," accusing them of killing 21 people in the unrest, which spread to other parts of western China with sizeable Tibetan populations.

The Tibetan government-in-exile says 203 Tibetans were killed and about 1,000 hurt in China's crackdown.

Political analysts earlier dismissed the plan to renew formal talks, saying they were being held under pressure from world leaders.