BEIJING, April 24 (AFP) - Beijing Thursday voiced "great indignation" at a meeting between US President Bill Clinton and the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

"The US government has permitted the Dalai Lama to enter American territory and he has been given a meeting (with Clinton)," foreign ministry spokesman Cui Tiankai told reporters.

"The Chinese government therefore expresses its great indignation toward US authorities."

The Dalai Lama held an official meeting Wednesday with US Vice President Al Gore and the president joined the talks "in progress," a strategy intended to minimise offence to China.

But, Cui said: "The Chinese government firmly opposes any support for the separatist activities of the Dalai Lama.

"China's position is firm. We have already made representations with the Americans on the subject," he added, without giving details.

During the meeting, Clinton assured the spiritual leader he was concerned about protecting Tibet and called for direct talks between the exiled Himalayan god-king and Beijing, White House spokesman Mike McCurry said.

The Chinese spokesman said such talks were not out of the question.

"The door to dialogue has long been open, but there is one condition ... the Dalai Lama must cease his separatist activities," he said.

"We can discuss anything except the subject of Tibetan independence."

Clinton plans to raise the issue of talks during a Washington meeting next week with Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen, as well as during a summit with President Jiang Zemin later in the year, McCurry said.

In announcing Qian's trip earlier this week, China said it would include "deep and wide-ranging discussions" on bilateral issues.

For his part, the Dalai Lama said he was pleased with the results of his White House visit.

"I am very happy, very satisfied," he said, adding Clinton showed "not only sympathy but genuine concern" over Tibet.

China seized control of Tibet in 1951 and the Dalai Lama fled into exile eight years later following an abortive uprising against Chinese rule.

The government-in-exile he has since headed in India is unrecognised by any country but the spiritual leader's campaign for Tibetan self-determination has won him international acclaim. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 1989.

The Chinese state media regularly blasts the Dalai Lama as a charlatan and a political tool of the West.

But the 61-year-old monk Wednesday dismissed much of the tension with China as the result of "suspicions."

"Once more mutual trust is developed, then even difficult issues can solve easily," he said.

Before meeting with Clinton, the Dalai Lama opened the World Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet with a hopeful message.

"A growing number of Chinese show concern, in some cases a spirit of solidarity" with Tibetans, he told delegates from 27 nations.

"There is real hope."