Beijing: Rejecting his latest conciliatory statement, China today (Oct 19, 2004) asked the Dalai Lama to "genuinely" and "publicly" renounce his quest for "Tibet independence" if he wants to resume dialogue with it on the vexed issue.

"The Dalai Lama always makes remarks of this or that kind overseas," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said in a terse statement, reacting to the Tibetan spiritual leader's remarks in the latest issue of 'Time magazine' that Tibet might benefit more by remaining with China provided the culture and the environment of the Himalayan region is protected.

"The Chinese Government's stand on this question has always been clear and consistent," she said.

"We believe the Dalai Lama should genuinely abandon his position of advocating Tibet independence and make public statement acknowledging that Tibet and Taiwan are inseparable parts of China," she said.

"He should also stop all his splittist activities abroad. Only this way, we can make further contact or initiate discussion with him," Zhang stressed.

Two envoys of the Dalai Lama, the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, visited China last month and held secret parleys with Chinese officials.

The envoys, Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen, returned to Dharmsala recently saying that though major differences exist between the exiled Tibetan leader and Beijing, both sides were ready to continue the contacts.