Exiled Tibetans' 'middle-way policy' to China

A three-day Tibetan task force meeting ended here Saturday with a commitment to continue with its policy on "middle-way approach" to negotiations with China.

Tibetan prime minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay chaired the meeting. The "middle-way approach" favours "genuine autonomy" for Tibetans within the framework of the Chinese constitution and does not speak of independence.

"Sangay reiterated the Central Tibetan Administration's firm commitment to the middle-way approach," an official statement of the government-in-exile said.

The task force Thursday began deliberations on ways to end the three-year hiatus in the engagement between the Dalai Lama's envoys and the Chinese leadership over greater autonomy for Tibet, officials said.

The deliberations also took stock of the prevailing grave situation in Tibet, including self-immolations, the statement said.

The continuing repressive measures in the Tibetan areas have been counterproductive to China's desire for unity and stability.

The task force also analysed substantive discourse in China - on ethnic issues in general and Tibet in particular - as well as some recent mixed signals, it said.

It said clear strategies were discussed on the way forward for a peaceful resolution of the Tibetan issue through dialogue between envoys of the Dalai Lama and representatives of the new Chinese leadership.

The task force was set up by the government-in-exile in 1999 to assist envoys of the Dalai Lama to hold talks with the Chinese leadership.

China and the Dalai Lama's envoys have held nine rounds of talks since 2002 to resolve the Tibetan issue.

In the last round of talks - the ninth - held in Beijing in January 2010, the government-in-exile submitted an "explanatory" note to the Chinese leadership to clarify its stand on genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people.

On the conclusion of that round, the statement that the Chinese side issued said the two sides had "sharply divided views, as usual".

The Tibetan administration in exile is based in this north Indian hill town.