Title: Seeds of Compassion
Description: Dalai Lama in Seattle this week
Description: Dalai Lama in Seattle this week
Wayne in WA State - April 13, 2008 10:18 PM (GMT)
A five day event by Seeds of Compassion whose primary goal is to teach compassion to children seems to be a big success
http://www.seedsofcompassion.org/
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/loca...passion06m.html
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dalailama/
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/11/us/11sea...r=1&oref=slogin
The newest word today is that representatives of the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government are in fact currently in discussions :Y:
http://www.seedsofcompassion.org/
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/loca...passion06m.html
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dalailama/
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/11/us/11sea...r=1&oref=slogin
The newest word today is that representatives of the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government are in fact currently in discussions :Y:
Wayne in WA State - April 27, 2008 12:45 AM (GMT)
China plans to meet Dalai Lama's envoys
By JIM YARDLEY
THE NEW YORK TIMES
BEIJING -- China appeared to bend to international pressure on Friday as the government announced it would meet with envoys of the Dalai Lama, an unexpected shift that comes as Tibetan unrest in western China has threatened to cast a pall over the Beijing Olympics in August.
China's announcement, made through the country's official news agency, provided few details about the shape or substance of the talks on the politically explosive issue of Tibet, but said discussions would begin "in the coming days." The breakthrough comes as Chinese officials have pivoted this week and moved to tamp down the domestic nationalist anger unleashed by the Tibetan crisis and by the protests during the international Olympic torch relay.
"In view of the requests repeatedly made by the Dalai side for resuming talks, the relevant department of the central government will have contact and consultation with Dalai's private representative in the coming days," said an unidentified Chinese official, according to Xinhua, the official news agency.
Whether talks would have any substance or effect is open to question.
The timing of China's announcement suggests that party leaders hope to defuse the international criticism that has steadily mounted since violent protests erupted March 14 in Lhasa and spread across other Tibetan regions of Western China.
For weeks, Chinese officials have castigated the Dalai Lama and blamed him for orchestrating the protests. The Dalai Lama has denied any involvement in the demonstrations and denounced the violence, as well as criticizing China for its crackdown against protesters.
State news media announced the Chinese decision on Friday, after Prime Minister Wen Jiabao met with Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Union's executive arm. Barroso called the announcement encouraging and said China appeared prepared to discuss all issues except sovereignty.
"If the concern of the Dalai Lama is, as he has always stated, respect of cultural identity, religious identity and autonomy inside China, I believe there's real room for a dialogue," he said, according to The Associated Press.
The Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, was returning to India from the United States on Friday. He has repeatedly called for renewed talks with Chinese officials and last month sent a letter to China's president, Hu Jintao.
Earlier this month, he hinted in Seattle that a back-channel discussion was already under way. On Friday, his spokesman, Tenzin Taklha, said, "Since His Holiness is committed to dialogue, we would welcome this."
The spokesman added that the Dalai Lama had not yet received any official communication from China. "We also have to look at when the offer does officially arrive," he said from Dharamsala, India, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile. "We have to look at conditions they are talking about."
China's tough stance came as international leaders, including President Bush, called on China to resume a dialogue with envoys of the Dalai Lama, and described him as a man of peace. The talks, which began in 2002, broke off last summer after six rounds of discussion. Those talks, focused on the future status of Tibet and whether the Dalai Lama would be allowed to return there, never made significant progress.
The Dalai Lama has talked about "genuine autonomy" within the Chinese state for what he describes as "greater Tibet," a region that includes the current Tibet Autonomous Region as well as Tibetan areas of neighboring Chinese provinces. In the past, Chinese officials have resisted any discussions on Tibet's status and only shown willingness to negotiate over the Dalai Lama's return.
By JIM YARDLEY
THE NEW YORK TIMES
BEIJING -- China appeared to bend to international pressure on Friday as the government announced it would meet with envoys of the Dalai Lama, an unexpected shift that comes as Tibetan unrest in western China has threatened to cast a pall over the Beijing Olympics in August.
China's announcement, made through the country's official news agency, provided few details about the shape or substance of the talks on the politically explosive issue of Tibet, but said discussions would begin "in the coming days." The breakthrough comes as Chinese officials have pivoted this week and moved to tamp down the domestic nationalist anger unleashed by the Tibetan crisis and by the protests during the international Olympic torch relay.
"In view of the requests repeatedly made by the Dalai side for resuming talks, the relevant department of the central government will have contact and consultation with Dalai's private representative in the coming days," said an unidentified Chinese official, according to Xinhua, the official news agency.
Whether talks would have any substance or effect is open to question.
The timing of China's announcement suggests that party leaders hope to defuse the international criticism that has steadily mounted since violent protests erupted March 14 in Lhasa and spread across other Tibetan regions of Western China.
For weeks, Chinese officials have castigated the Dalai Lama and blamed him for orchestrating the protests. The Dalai Lama has denied any involvement in the demonstrations and denounced the violence, as well as criticizing China for its crackdown against protesters.
State news media announced the Chinese decision on Friday, after Prime Minister Wen Jiabao met with Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Union's executive arm. Barroso called the announcement encouraging and said China appeared prepared to discuss all issues except sovereignty.
"If the concern of the Dalai Lama is, as he has always stated, respect of cultural identity, religious identity and autonomy inside China, I believe there's real room for a dialogue," he said, according to The Associated Press.
The Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, was returning to India from the United States on Friday. He has repeatedly called for renewed talks with Chinese officials and last month sent a letter to China's president, Hu Jintao.
Earlier this month, he hinted in Seattle that a back-channel discussion was already under way. On Friday, his spokesman, Tenzin Taklha, said, "Since His Holiness is committed to dialogue, we would welcome this."
The spokesman added that the Dalai Lama had not yet received any official communication from China. "We also have to look at when the offer does officially arrive," he said from Dharamsala, India, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile. "We have to look at conditions they are talking about."
China's tough stance came as international leaders, including President Bush, called on China to resume a dialogue with envoys of the Dalai Lama, and described him as a man of peace. The talks, which began in 2002, broke off last summer after six rounds of discussion. Those talks, focused on the future status of Tibet and whether the Dalai Lama would be allowed to return there, never made significant progress.
The Dalai Lama has talked about "genuine autonomy" within the Chinese state for what he describes as "greater Tibet," a region that includes the current Tibet Autonomous Region as well as Tibetan areas of neighboring Chinese provinces. In the past, Chinese officials have resisted any discussions on Tibet's status and only shown willingness to negotiate over the Dalai Lama's return.