Raghavendra
Press Trust of India (PTI)
June 24, 2008

Beijing, June 24 (PTI) -- China today said it would continue to work
hard to stabilise the situation in Tibet, which was hit by the
monks-led anti-government protests three months ago leading to a
crackdown by Beijing to quell the unrest.

"We will continue to work hard to stabilise the situation in Tibet,"
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told reporters here
while assuring that efforts would be made to throw open the Himalayan
region to foreign journalists "at an early date." Liu was asked when
China would allow foreign tourists and journalists in Tibet, which
has been kept out of bounds to them ever since the trouble erupted in
Lhasa on March 14 after the deadliest ever anti-government protests
in two decades.

"We totally understand your aspiration to go to Tibet and we will
help you to make this happen at an early date," he said.

After the riots, foreign journalists were taken to Tibet on
government-controlled and monitored trips, including the latest one
on Saturday last when the Beijing Olympic torch was paraded in Lhasa.

Asked when China proposed to limit the number of climbers to Mount
Everest as announced by a Tibet government official, he said he was
not aware when it would be done.