China received positive responses Friday after announcing that the central government will meet with the Dalai Lama's private representative in the coming days.
[Tibet in the spotlight]

Xinhua learned from official sources Friday that "the relevant department of the central government" will meet with Dalai's private representative.

"In view of the requests repeatedly made by the Dalai side for resuming talks, the relevant department of the central government will have contact and consultation with Dalai's private representative in the coming days," an official said.

"The policy of the central government toward Dalai has been consistent and the door of dialogue has remained open," he said.

"It is hoped that through contact and consultation, the Dalai side will take credible moves to stop activities aimed at splitting China, stop plotting and inciting violence and stop disrupting and sabotaging the Beijing Olympic Games so as to create conditions for talks," the official added.

The United States said Friday it was pleased to hear China's announcement to resume talks with an envoy of the Dalai Lama very soon.

"We are pleased to hear this," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said, "We welcome the news that the Chinese authorities will engage with the Dalai Lama's representatives."

European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso expressed happiness with the announcement.

"We are of course very happy with this announcement," he said, hoping China's decision would also help "create a better understanding between China and Europe."

Barroso, heading a high-level EU delegation, arrived in Beijing Thursday afternoon for a three-day visit.

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, one of the nine commissioners in Barroso's delegation, said, "We want dialogue, not a boycott. We all want the Olympics to be a success, and reaching out in this way will help."

French President Nicolas Sarkozy welcomes the announcement by the Chinese government of "a renewal of dialogue in the coming days with representatives of the Dalai Lama," Sarkozy's office said in a statement.

Germany welcomes China's offer to meet with Dalai's private representative in the coming days.

"We expressly welcome this move," German Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger said. "We hope very much that this can contribute to resolving the conflict in Tibet," the spokesman added.

Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said, "I hope that this dialogue will be a success."

Singapore welcomed the decision of the Chinese government, saying it " will help maintain stability in Tibet."

"No one, least of all the Tibetan people, gains from the continuation of tensions and protests and the attempts to link the Tibetan issue with the Beijing Olympic games," the Singaporean Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

(Xinhua News Agency April 26, 2008)