The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Tokyo

Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama voiced hope Wednesday that the latest round of talks between his envoys and China will lead to progress, saying the situation in his homeland was "critical." In a letter read out to a conference in Tokyo of Japanese supporters of Tibet, the Dalai Lama said the round of talks that opened Tuesday in Beijing "has come at a crucial time."

"I hope this seventh round of talks will contribute in making some marked improvement in our discussions," said the Tibetan spiritual leader, who has lived in exile in India for nearly a half-century. China has said little about the talks in Beijing, which opened three months after major protests in Tibet against Beijing's controversial rule over the predominantly Buddhist Himalayan region.

The crackdown on the unrest, which spread to neighbouring Tibetan-populated areas of western China, sparked global demonstrations that marred the month-long international journey of the Beijing Olympic torch.