Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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April 25, 2008

China Offers to Meet with Dalai Lama Representative 
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1C0593A:A6F02AD83191E160BFD3FF1F574631E921A4E82C900CD027& 
Official state-run Xinhua news agency reports government agreed to meeting after requests by Dalai Lama 
China's state-run media say government officials have agreed to meet with a private representative of Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in the coming days.

In a report Friday, Xinhua news agency says officials agreed to the meeting after requests were made by the Dalai Lama. In the report, the officials also continued to blame the Nobel Peace laureate for inciting violence in China and trying to sabotage the Beijing Olympics.

The report did not provide any additional information about the meeting.

The French news agency, AFP, says a spokesman for the Dalai Lama welcomed Beijing's offer to meet. 

News of the meeting comes as the international community has been urging Beijing to hold talks with the Dalai Lama following China's crackdown on anti-government protests in Tibet and other Tibetan areas last month.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy called China's decision a "major step." Mr. Sarkozy has suggested he might not attend the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Games if the situation in Tibet does not improve.

Tibet's government-in-exile says more than 150 people died in a Chinese crackdown since mid-March. China blames Tibetan rioters for the deaths of at least 20 people.

China frequently blames the Dalai Lama for masterminding the protests, and accuses him of trying to separate the Himalayan region from China.

The Dalai Lama denies the charges, and says he only wants autonomy for Tibet.Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.





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