Agencies Posted online: Nov 04, 2008 at 1627 hrs

Beijing, November 4: : As Beijing and Tibetan envoys prepare for 
talks, China's state media on Tuesday blasted the Dalai Lama saying he 
is ‘playing tricks’ to draw public attention and sympathy.

Criticizing the spiritual leader's recent comments expressing doubt 
over usefulness of new talks, the Xinhua News Agency said the Dalai 
Lama's ‘disappointment’ was groundless.

"He is again playing the trick of retirement. It is futile for him to 
try to turn back the wheel of history," the report said.

During his Japan tour on Monday, the exiled Tibetan leader said that 
current situation in Tibet is ‘very sad’.

"My trust in the Chinese Government has become thinner, thinner, 
thinner. Suppression (in Tibet) is increasing and I cannot pretend 
that everything is OK".

He also said that his efforts to secure Tibetan autonomy have failed 
to bring positive changes as previous rounds of talks have produced no 
substantive results and he is unsure whether new talks will produce 
any breakthroughs.

However, the state media said, "By stressing his 'disappointment' over 
the contacts and negotiations, the Dalai Lama deliberately adopted a 
pathetic posture only in an attempt to draw public attention and 
sympathy."

"His disappointment also showed his reluctance to give up his stance 
to seek Tibetan independence," it added.

The Dalai Lama, who fled to India amid a failed uprising against 
Chinese rule in 1959, says he does not seek Tibet's separation from 
China but wants meaningful autonomy that would ensure the survival of 
the Himalayan region's unique Buddhist culture.