Dalai Lama's representatives leave China

The Dalai Lama's representatives departed today from China with a solid offer from Beijing for future talks, marking a small step toward expanding dialogue between the two sides following anti-government riots in Tibet.

"It was a good first step," special envoy Lodi Gyari said at the Hong Kong airport today as he and Kelsang Gyaltsen prepared to return to Dharmsala, India, the home of the exiled Tibetan leader.

"We were all very candid. We had a very candid discussion."

Lodi Gyari said the day-long talks held on Sunday in the southern city of Shenzhen with the Chinese negotiators "was as planned".

"These are people Kelsang and I have dealt with for many years, so personally we have a good rapport so that was always very helpful," he said.

He said they would report back to the Dalai Lama before announcing a date for a second round of talks.

Both China's state broadcaster and the official Xinhua News Agency confirmed the two sides had agreed to a second round of talks.

International critics have accused China of heavy-handed tactics in quelling anti-government riots and protests in Tibet and Tibetan areas of western China that began in March.

Some experts believe Beijing agreed to meet with the envoys to ease that criticism ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August.

Still, it is the first time the two sides have sat down together since talks broke down in 2006 after six rounds.

Despite China's vilification of the Dalai Lama, both sides have kept back channels for dialogue open.