TAIPEI, March 19 (AFP) - The brother of the Dalai Lama Wednesday downplayed Beijing's protest over the Tibetan spiritual leader's visit to Taiwan saying he had already briefed Beijing about the trip.

"I have reported details to the Beijing authorities on the Dalai Lama's Taiwan visit," Gyalo Thondup, the second brother of the Dalai Lama told the press here.

He said the Chinese authorities had reacted "reasonablly well" on the planned trip despite some criticisms.

Thondup emphasized the trip is only intended to "promote religious exchanges (with Taiwan)" adding he hoped Beijing would not be angered.

"There is no other goals and attempts," Thondup said in fluent Mandarin. Thondup, who arrived in the nationalist island Tuesday, has served as a go-between in long-running talks to arrange the unprecedented visit.

But Beijing lashed the Dalai Lama for undertaking the trip after years of refusing invitations from Taiwan Buddhists.

The official China Daily headquartered in Beijing said in a vehement editorial Wednesday that both the Dalai Lama and Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui "are struggling for the same goal which is splitting China."

Thondup dismissed the charges, saying the Tibetan government exiled inIndia has stopped talking about independence since 1979

Since then Tibetan people have been pressing for automony, he said. The Tibetan god-king, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has lived in exile in India since fleeing Tibet in 1959 following an abortive anti-Chinese uprising.

When asked in what capacity the Dalai Lama would be in visiting Taiwan, Thondup replied that spiritual guide "would not care about the status" conferred on him.

In an apparent bid not to exacerbate the strained ties with mainland China, the Taiwanese government has adopted a low-key approach to the six-day trip.

Chang King-yuh, chairman of Taiwan's Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council, Monday insisted the Tibetan spiritual leader should not be treated as a state guest.

Government spokesman Su Chi Wednesday also dodged a question from opposition deputies when asked whether Vice President and Premier Lien Chan would meet with the Dalai Lama.

"So far I don't know any plans that Cabinet officials would meet the Dalai Lama," Su told the opposition lawmakers of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

A group of DPP legislators held a press conference to lobby for the Dalai Lama to be treated as a state guest and to address parliament.

But whether the Dalai Lama would visit the parliament would not be finalized before Thursday, according to Liu Sung-pan, speaker of the parliament.

"Negotiations with Master Chin Hsin are still underway," Liu said. Chin Hsin is the head of the Buddhist Association, the host of the impending visit.

Meanwhile, a top police officer Wednesday flew to the southern Taiwan city of Kaohsiung, the first leg of the Dalai Lai's Taiwan trip, to inspect police preparations for the tight security going on there.

"I hope the journey will progress smoothly," Yu Yu-tang, vice chairman of the National Police Administration, told state TV.