Two envoys of the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet, have held talks with the Chinese authorities. The talks, the first in fourteen months, led nowhere.

Beijing said that no concessions have been made to the Tibetans whatsoever. A government statement stressed that sovereignty is not debatable, and that Tibet would remain an integral part of China. A spokesperson for the Tibetans said they did not wish to secede from China, but merely desired a greater degree of autonomy.

According to official figures, two years ago, at least 19n people were killed during violent anti-Chinese protests in the Tibetan capital Lhasa. Human rights groups abroad claim that the number of dead was actually much higher. The Dalai Lama has been in exile since 1959.

Photo: the dalai lama (flickr / FerneMillen)