Secrecy Shrouds Talks Between Lama Envoys, China

BEIJING — Secrecy surrounded the start of talks between envoys of the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government yesterday aimed at easing tensions following anti-government riots in Tibet in March.

Chinese officials would not say where the meeting would be held, what the agenda was, or even when it would start.

The talks follow informal talks held in early May in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen that ended with an offer from Beijing for future discussions.

The prime minister of the self-proclaimed Tibetan government-in-exile based in Dharmsala, India, Samdhong Rinpoche, said that envoys Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen would represent the Dalai Lama.

"His holiness the Dalai Lama has instructed the envoys to make every effort to bring about tangible progress to alleviate the difficult situation for Tibetans in their homeland," a statement from the Dalai Lama's office said.

The talks were confirmed Monday by Gao Fei, the director of the Propaganda Office of the United Front Work Department, which is hosting the meeting. Mr. Gao was not available to comment yesterday, and staffers in his office said no one else could answer questions.

"Officials from the central government authority will have contact with the private representatives of the Dalai Lama, Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen," a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Liu Jianchao said, adding that he had no other details.

"I hope the relevant dialogue and contact can make positive progress," he said.

A spokesman, Thubten Samphel, said yesterday that the government in exile would not comment. Mr. Rinpoche was expected to comment only after the talks end today.

[A man stormed into a police building yesterday and stabbed five officers to death, Shanghai police said, the Los Angeles Times reported. Several other officers were injured.

The attacker, who was apprehended, was initially described on the Shanghai police Web site as a 28-year-old unemployed man from Beijing who took revenge against authorities because he was being investigated for stealing bicycles. However, this information was deleted from the site later in the day.]