From: tcrc@cta.unv.ernet.in (tcrc)

Indian Express, Thursday, Dec 14, 1995

BEIJING, Dec 13: China's foreign ministry has denied reports that three Tibetans arrested in India was spies sent by Beijing, reports AP.

The three Tibetans, including a 19-year-old woman, were arrested by Indian police in the last week of November. They were accused of being Chinese spies sent to watch His Holiness Dalai Lama, who has been living in exile in India since 1959.

"The case of the so-called Chinese spies is sheer fabrication and a farce orchestrated intentionally by some people who have ulterior motives, with the aim of slandering China and sabotaging China's relations with other countries," the officials Xinhua news agency yesterday paraphrased foreign ministry spokesman Chen Jian, as saying.

The three were arrested near the northern mountain town of Dharamsala, where the Dalai Lama's government-in-exile is based. The two man were allegedly former soldiers in the Chinese Army.