Two envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Mr. Lodi G. Gyaltsen and Mr. Kelsang Gyaltsen, returned to India on 23 February from talks with the United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party.

After Losar, the Tibetan New Year, the envoys will brief the chairman and the vice-chair of the Assembly of the Tibetan People's Deputies and the members of the Kashag.

The envoys and their aides arrived in China on 15 Febraury for the fifth round of talks on the Tibetan issue.

The Tibetan delegation had first round of meeting with their Chinese counterpart in September 2002, the second round of talks between 25 May and 8 June 2003, the third one in September 2004 and the fourth round of talks was held on 30 June and 1 July 2005.

The first three talks were held in Beijing while the fourth round of talks was held in Berne, Switzerland.

After the visit, a statement was released by Special Envoy Lodi Gyari, Head of the Delegation Sent by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to China

1. In continuation of the process started with the re-establishment of direct contact with the Chinese leadership in September 2002, my colleague envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen and I, accompanied by two members of the Task Force, Sonam N. Dagpo and Bhuchung K. Tsering, visited China from February 15 to 23, 2006.

2. We had a day-long meeting with the Executive Vice Minister of the United Front Work Department, Zhu Weiqun, on February 22, 2006, in Guilin City during which we dealt with substantive issues.

3. As a result, today there is a better and deeper understanding of each other's position and the fundamental differences that continue to exist in the position held by the two parties.

4. This round of discussion also made it clear that there is a major difference even in the approach in addressing the issue. However, we remain committed to the dialogue process and are hopeful that progress will be possible by continuing the engagement. Our Chinese counterparts made clear their interest in continuing the present process and their firm belief that the obstacles can be overcome through more discussions and engagements.

5. As we had expressed an interest in looking at the situation of the different autonomous regions during our previous meetings, considering the time and the season, a trip was arranged this time to the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. We found the visit useful.

We have reported to His Holiness the Dalai Lama today on our discussion along with Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche.

6. Our host for this visit was the United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party. Many other authorities, including the government of Guangdong and Guangxi, particularly Guilin City, have been involved in organizing our visit. We wish to express our sincere appreciation to the officials at various levels for their hospitality and assistance.

For more information, please contact Mr. Thubten Samphel, (01892) 222457

Related Links
The Restless Children of the Dalai Lama
Ask Bombardier Out of Tibetan Project
Citizenship Rights for Stateless in Pakistan, Bangladesh
Chinese Diplomat Pressurizes Tibetan Group in India