published by: World Tibet Network News, Thursday,November 30, 1995

BEIJING, Nov 30 (Reuter) - China denied an allegation on Thursday by Tibet's exiled god-king, the Dalai Lama, that a boy he picked as successor to the Himalayan region's second-holiest Buddhist leader had been detained, and ruled out any compromise.

"He (Gedhun Choekyi Nyima) is neither missing nor in custody," Foreign Ministry spokesman Shen Guofang said.

"He should be where he was born," Shen told a news briefing when asked about the boy's whereabouts.

"There has not been any change. The Dalai Lama's invalid, so-called recognition has not created any impact on the boy... So there does not exist any problem," Shen said.

In May the Dalai Lama identified Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, 6, from the Lhari district of Nagchu in Tibet, as the recipient of the soul of the 10th Panchen Lama, who died in January 1989.

China's atheist government, enraged that he announced the Panchen Lama's reincarnation unilaterally, has rejected the boy.

On Wednesday of this week the government named its own six-year-old successor, Gyaincain Norbu, as 11th Panchen Lama.

Chinese officials have repeatedly turned down requests by foreign reporters to travel to the boy's hometown.

Shen insisted he was telling the truth.

"I'm telling you this piece of information as the Foreign Ministry spokesman. You should believe me and not believe other news, the source of which has no basis," Shen said.

China claims a 1792 agreement between Tibet and the imperial Qing dynasty gives Beijing the say over senior Tibetan lamas.

Tibetan exiles dispute this, saying the pact was set not with China but with occupying Manchus, who were toppled in 1911.

The Dalai Lama said on Wednesday he stood by Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, and was particularly concerned about the boy's safety.

"He has not been seen in public for some months and is reported to be detained somewhere in Beijing," he said.

Shen ruled out the possibility of a compromise with the Dalai Lama, who has lived in exile in India since an abortive Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.

"On this issue, there is no room for any compromise between us and the Dalai Lama because he wanted to sabotage and interfere," Shen said. "We think the Dalai Lama is not just purely a religious figure. He is a separatist."

The 10th Panchen Lama said shortly before his death that he and the Dalai Lama should approve each other's reincarnations.