State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said at the May 27 mid-day State Department press briefing that the U.S. was “pleased to learn that Mr. Lodi Gyari, the Dalai Lama’s Special Envoy, and his delegation were received by Chinese officials” and that “we we look forward to hearing more at the conclusion of the talks.”
The May 27 briefing was shorter than usual because President Bush was visiting the building, therefore it may be significant that it was read as the lead statement.
“We were pleased to learn that Mr. Lodi Gyari, the Dalai Lama’s Special Envoy, and his delegation were received by Chinese officials on May 25th in Shanghai. We understand this is a follow-on trip to a September 2002 visit when the two sides renewed contact. And we look forward to hearing more at the conclusion of the talks.
“The President and the Secretary have continued to discuss with Chinese leaders the need for substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives to resolve longstanding differences. The Administration will follow this development with great interest and we hope this trip will bring both sides closer to engaging in dialogue.”
Click here to see the transcript of the State Department briefing
