London  - Britain's Prince Charles on Thursday discussed Tibet with Chinese President Hu Jintao in London, where the Chinese leader had attended the Group of 20
(G20) summit.

Details of the talks were not released by the palace but Charles, heir to the British throne, is known to be a long-time supporter of the Dalai Lama - Tibet's spiritual leader.

Prince Charles had been urged by Tibet campaign group Free Tibet to raise the issue with Hu, including a list of human rights concerns submitted by the group.

Beijing  - The EU's top diplomat called Monday on the Chinese government to resume talks with the Tibetan government-in-exile while welcoming a memorandum from Tibetan exiles on their vision of autonomy.

"For a long time, the Chinese wanted to see a written position," EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said of the Tibetan proposal made during the latest round of talks in November.

Beijing  - China will reopen its Tibet Autonomous Region to foreign tourists from April 5, following the suspension of visits during sensitive anniversaries, state media said on Monday.

"Tibet is harmonious and safe now," Bachug, head of the regional tourism administration, told the government's official Xinhua news agency.

"Travel agencies, tourist resorts and hotels are well-prepared for tourists," Bachug was quoted as saying.

"Reception work was suspended in March for the sake of travellers' safety," he said.

New Delhi  - Tibetan exiles in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamsala staged protests Saturday to mark the 50th anniversary of what they termed Chinese "repression" in Tibet.

"More than 500 protestors gathered at the town's main bus square and released balloons with messages of hope and solidarity with Tibetans in Tibet who continue to suffer under Chinese occupation," said Tenzin Choeying, a member of a Tibetan youth organization.

Beijing  - While the Chinese government on Saturday hailed the 50 years of Communist rule in Tibet as transformative and progressive, Tibetan exiles called the observance of the anniversary "offensive and provocative."

The anniversary was marked by China by its first Serfs Emancipation Day holiday as President Hu Jintao called the changes over the past half-century "the most extensive, profound and progressive social transformation in the history of Tibet."

Johannesburg  - The furore over South Africa's refusal to grant the Dalai Lama a visa to attend a peace conference in Johannesburg later this week grew with former president and Nobel laureate FW de Klerk announcing Monday he was boycotting the meeting.

"Mr De Klerk will reluctantly not participate in the peace conference on March 27 and its associated activities if a visa is not granted to enable the Dalai Lama to attend the conference as well," the FW de Klerk foundation said in a statement Monday.