Dalai Lama wants serious China dialogue

The Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, returned to Dharmsala, India, yesterday. (Ashwini Bhatia/associated press)

DHARMSALA, India - The Dalai Lama said yesterday that he welcomed China's offer to meet his envoy but cautioned it would be meaningless to meet if Beijing is not serious about trying to solve the problems that caused recent unrest in Tibet.

The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader said he has not received detailed information about the offer. He spoke with reporters after returning to his headquarters in the northern India town of Dharmsala from a two-week trip to the United States.

"We need to have serious talks about how to reduce the Tibetan resentment within Tibet," the Dalai Lama said. "But just mere meeting some of my men in order to show the world that they are having dialogue, then it is meaningless."

Despite the offer to meet his envoy, Chinese state media yesterday launched fresh attacks against the spiritual leader, blaming him for the recent unrest among Tibetans that threatens to tarnish this summer's Beijing Olympics.

Last month, antigovernment riots broke out in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, galvanizing critics of Beijing's communist regime and sparking a crackdown from Chinese forces.

The fallout from the unrest and China's response has threatened to overshadow the Olympics, meant to showcase China's rising prominence on the world stage.