A LONG-RUNNING dialogue between China and the Dalai Lama's envoys faces breakdown after Beijing yesterday publicly stated that it 'will never make a concession' on the status of Tibet.

In Beijing's first press conference on these usually secretive talks, lead Chinese negotiators categorically demolished a proposition for 'genuine autonomy' that the Tibetan envoys had presented at their latest round of talks last week.

The envoys' memorandum - submitted at Beijing's request - called for what amounted to 'out and out independence', a top official said at the nationally televised press conference.Rubbishing its contents, he reiterated a call that Beijing made last week for the Dalai Lama to 'fundamentally correct his political propositions'.

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