Beijing, Nov 9 (AFP) - Lamas meeting In Beijing to choose the reincarnation of Tibetan Buddhism's second-highest leader, the Panchen Lama, are making progress, foreign ministry spokesman Shen Guofang said Thursday More than 70 senior Tibetan lamas began complex selection rituals in the military-owned Jingxi guesthouse in Beijing at the weekend and a decision is expected early next week.

"The group for selecting the reincarnation is composed of people from the Tibetan Buddhist community' and they have done a lot of work in accordance with religious rules and procedures and have made some progress, Shen told reporters - 'At present their work is still under way,' he added

The search for the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama has been mired in controversy since Beijing angrily rejected the candidate put forward in May by Tibet's top spiritual leader, the exiled Dalai Lama.

The Chinese authorities denounced the Dalai Lama's choice as 'illegal and invalid' because it lacked Beijing's official sanction.

Shen also rejected any call for the selection process to be subjected to greater public scrutiny 'External people do not have any right to ask those religious personal to increase the so-called transparency,' because this is a matter for the people in the religious community,' Shen said.

The 10th Panchen Lama, who refused to join the Dalai Lama in exile after a failed anti-Chinese uprising in Lhasa in 1959, was seen by many Tlbetans as a lackey of the Chinese authorities