Door for talks with Dalai Lama still open, national sovereignty non-negotiable: CPC official

BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities said Monday that the door for contacts and talks remains open to the Dalai Lama, but no concessions would be made on issues concerning national sovereignty.

Du Qinglin, head of the United Front Work Department (UFWD) of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, had met with Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen, private envoys of the Dalai Lama, in Beijing, said a statement from the department Monday. No exact date was given in the statement.

During the meeting, Du had pointed out that issues concerning China's territory and sovereignty were non-negotiable and no concessions would be made on those issues, the statement said.

Du said the so-called "Greater Tibet" and "high-level autonomy" violated China's Constitution and only if the Dalai Lama completely abandoned such claims, could there be a foundation for contacts and talks.

The contacts and talks would have no progress if the Dalai Lama side continued activities against China and refused to show basic respect and sincerity, said Du, also vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

"Tibetan people cherish peace and stability. It is no use to cheat them and act against their will. The activities of infiltration and provocation, which are doomed to fail, will only create barriers for the talks and isolate the Dalai Lama and his followers," the statement quoted Du as saying.

The central government had been consistent and clear in policy concerning the Dalai Lama, Du said. "The door for contacts and talks is open, and the policy has not been changed so far."

If the Dalai Lama really hoped to make progress in contacts and talks and remedy relations with the central government, he should "respect history, conform with the times, clearly understand the reality, and cast aside illusions," Du said.

The Dalai Lama "should profoundly reflect on his words and deeds," Du said.

"To essentially rectify his position, he should match his actions with his words, and win the central government and the Chinese people's trust through actions," he said.

"It won't be a way out to seek 'Tibet independence' or 'independence in a disguised form' through violence or non-violence," he told the Dalai Lama's private envoys.

"Nor will it be a way out for them to seek internationalization of the so-called 'Tibet issue' or to give support to international anti-China forces," he said.

During the meeting, Du also outlined the achievements made by the Tibet Autonomous Region under the leadership of the CPC, according to the statement.

"There's no country or party in the world like our country and the CPC which, in more than a decade, pool the whole nation's strength to support the development of an ethnic region," he said.

"It is the CPC, the central government and local Tibetan governments who can represent the fundamental interests of all Tibetan people, and can ensure them a happy life," he said.

The statement said UFWD Executive Vice Minister Zhu Weiqun, UFWD Vice Minister Sita and Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Tibet regional People's Congress Nyima Cering had held talks with Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen, the statement said, without giving a specific date.

The statement said the officials had reiterated during the talks that "the so-called 'Tibet government-in-exile' is utterly illegal."

"It can neither represent Tibet nor the Tibetan people."

The private envoys could talk only about the future of the Dalai Lama and people around him under the precondition of completely abandoning secessionist words or activities, the officials said.

"We hope the Dalai Lama can envisage reality, and get back on the track of patriotism," the statement quoted the officials as saying. "Only by doing so, can the Dalai Lama have a future."

The Dalai Lama's private envoys expressed their opinions on relevant issues.