The next round of talks between envoys of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama and China, scheduled for June 11, might be postponed because of Beijing's preoccupation with relief efforts for earthquake victims, an aide to the Lama said on Wednesday.
"China has expressed difficulties in holding talks on June 11 because of the massive earthquake in that country," Tenzing Takhla, secretary to the Dalai Lama, told PTI.
"Though June 11 has yet not been fully ruled out, we are working on alternate dates too," he added.
Takhla said that the date for the second round of talks, between envoys of the Dalai Lama and Chinese officials, was decided much before the earthquake had happened.
Asked if the alternative dates would be within June, he merely said, "We are working out on it."
The Dalai Lama's envoys Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen had held meetings with Chinese officials in Shenzen on May 4, in the wake of violent protests in Lhasa and other provinces of Tibet in March.
Though not much headway had been made in that round of talks, the two sides had decided to talk again.
While China had asked the Dalai Lama to stop 'instigating' violent protests in Tibet, the envoys of the Tibetan spiritual leader had categorically denied the charge and called for steps for restoration of peace there.