A senior Tibetan official said yesterday that intensified police patrols in parts of Tibet were temporary security measures against possible disruptions by the Dalai Lama's followers and Western "Tibet independence" groups.

Legqog, chairman of the standing committee of the Tibet autonomous region's people's congress, said most of the region is stable. But because the Dalai group has not stopped trying to create chaos in Tibet since the March 14 violence last year, armed police have stepped up their presence, he added.

"But these actions are temporary and limited to a few parts of Tibet," said Legqog, who is in Beijing to attend the National People's Congress' (NPC) annual session.