Despite assurances - leading-up-to and during the course of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing - that Chinese Officials would make a good-faith effort to resolve pressing issues regarding sovereignty and Tibetan exiles, it appears that the negotiations have failed.
At the heart of the matter is the question of sovereignty.
In view of the ever- diminishing prospects for a total sovereignty, His Holiness - the Dalai Lama - recommended a "middle way" (limited sovereignty) approach as a quick-fix to a thorny dilemma.
As usual, Beijing officials accused the Dalai Lama of colluding with their staunchest enemies.
In a strident statement released to the media, Mr. Zhu Weiqun - Executive Vice Minister of Front Work Department and the Communist Party arm that is overseeing the talks - announced the Government's decision to reject the Dalai Lama's solution.
Zhu accused Tibetan exiles of conspiring with democracy activists, an outlawed spiritual group known as the Falun Gong, and Militant Muslim separatists.In the final analysis, Zhu argued that the "middle way" solution would only lead to an "ethnic cleansing" of Han Chinese from the region.
Some argue that a rejection of the implementation of a "middle way" may actually strengthen the position of younger radical Tibetan leaders who favor a full-fledged push for freedom.
China holds fast to their position - that all officially recognized religions in China should be controlled by by the Government - including the appointment of its spiritual leaders.
This is a troubling stance for Tibetan Buddhists who believe that their holiest of spiritual leaders are reincarnated from a distinctive lineage traced back throughout the ages.
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