Talk to Dalai Lama, US tells China

C K Arora in Washington

The Clinton administration has urged China to start a dialogue with the Dalai Lama on his demand for self-rule in Tibet.

State department spokesman Nicholas Burns gave this information on Thursday following the Buddhist monk's discussions with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. The Tibetan leader met President Bill Clinton and Vice-President Al Gore on Wednesday.

In reply to a question, he said the US would raise the Dalai Lama's demand during Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen's visit to Washington next week. ''We will continue to push for an opening of a dialogue,'' he said. ''We think that's important.''

Burns said, ''What we are particularly concerned about is the issue of religious rights in Tibet. And, we hope that religious and cultural traditions of Tibet can be preserved.''

Earlier, he said, ''The position of the United States for long, long time, I think, going back to well before the Chinese revolution in 1949 is that we consider Tibet to be part of China.''

UNI

Earlier story:
Clinton's promise cheers Dalai Lama