Tibet, China Return To Diplomacy

Chinese and Tibetan envoys on Tuesday began their first formal talks since bloody protests swept Tibetan areas of western China three months ago, in a dialogue that may affect the Olympic Games here next month.

China kept largely silent about the two-day talks, declining to outline the issues to be discussed or even the venue.

Samdhong Rinpoche, the prime minister of the Tibetan government in exile in India, said in a telephone interview that the two sides began negotiations Tuesday morning and would "talk about proper implementation of autonomy for the Tibetan people."

"We're very much looking for a concrete step," he added.

The timing of the talks -- five weeks before the Summer Olympics open -- has given rise to talk that China agreed to the negotiations to defuse international criticism in the run-up to the Olympics to avoid the possibility of protests by world leaders.

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