CENTRAL Government officials and private representatives of the 14th Dalai Lama agreed to hold another round of contact at"an appropriate time"when they met in Shenzhen on Sunday.

The meeting was arranged after repeated requests by the Dalai side to resume talks.Central Government officials Zhu Weiqun and Sitar met with the Dalai Lama¡¯s two private representatives, Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen, in Shenzhen.

The two envoys expressed their views on relevant matters and said they would report truthfully to the Dalai Lama what had been discussed at the meeting.

Zhu and Sitar patiently answered questions raised by the two and exchanged views on future contact and consultations.

During the meeting, Zhu and Sitar pointed out that the March 14 riot in Lhasa had given rise to new obstacles for resuming contact and consultations with the Dalai side. However, the Central Government had arranged this meeting with great patience and sincerity.

Earlier on Sunday, President Hu Jintao said in Beijing he hoped the Shenzhen meeting could yield"positive results."

"Our policy toward the Dalai Lama is clear and consistent, and the door for dialogue remains open,"Hu told journalists from 16 Japanese media organizations during an interview.

The Central Government had managed to hold six meetings with the Dalai Lama's private representatives since 2000.

The Dalai side would be as good as their word and take credible moves to stop activities aimed at splitting China, stop plotting and inciting violence and stop disrupting and sabotaging the Beijing Olympic Games, to create conditions for the next round of contact and consultation, the Central Government officials said.

The officials said the Lhasa riot, which was against the people's will, had jeopardized the fundamental interests of all Chinese people including Tibetans, and caused great public indignation and strong condemnation by people from various walks of life.

The officials said it was completely correct for the Tibetan regional government to take action to maintain social stability and to safeguard the country's legal system and the people's interest.

As the Lhasa riot had been put down, social order was being restored, they said. Religious followers there were enjoying full freedom of religious belief, and the people were hoping for stability and development.

The officials said facts showed that the guiding policies of the central government on Tibet were correct.

Official statistics revealed that the Tibet economy had been growing at an annual rate of 12 percent or more over the past seven years.

(Xinhua)