China says next round of Tibet talks in early July

BEIJING (Reuters) - China and representatives of Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will resume talks in early July, Xinhua news agency said on Sunday. Chinese officials met the Dalai Lama’s representatives for talks on May 4, but further discussions originally set to start in June were postponed after an earthquake in China in May killed about 70,000 people. The talks aim to mend fences with the Dalai Lama, who fled into exile in 1959 after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet. Authorities announced that "relevant central government departments will meet personal representatives of the Dalai Lama at his request in early July," Xinhua said. Xinhua’s report coincided with a visit to China by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, under pressure to raise human rights and Tibet with Chinese officials... [read full story]