Beijing: Describing Tibet as part ofChina, US President Barack Obama on Tuesday supported the earlyresumption of talks between Beijing and representatives of theexiled Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama.
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"We did note that while we recognise that Tibet ispart of the People's Republic of China, the United Statessupports the early resumption of dialogue" between the DalaiLama's representatives and Beijing," Obama said after hismeeting with Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao here.
Stop supporting Dalai Lama, Beijing tells US
China, which has governed Tibet since its troopsoccupied the territory in the 1950s, has repeatedly accusedthe Dalai Lama of leading a campaign to split the Himalayanregion from the rest of the country.
The 74-year-old Dalai Lama, who fled to India amid afailed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, has denied theallegations.
Dalai Lama says controversial visit 'a duty'
The last formal talks between the Dalai Lama's envoysand Chinese officials, the seventh since 2002, ended in animpasse in July last year, with China demanding that he provethat he did not support Tibetan independence.
Relations have been particularly tense this year afterlarge scale riots in Lhasa, Tibet's capital, in which hundredsof shops were torched and Chinese civilians were attacked.
