Obama set to meet Dalai Lama
February 18th, 2010 - 11:03 am ICT by IANS
Washington, Feb 18 (DPA) US President Barack Obama was to hold a long-awaited meeting Thursday with Tibet’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, rebutting China’s threats that the encounter would further harm ties between the two powers.
Obama and the Dalai Lama will meet in the White House and are not not expected to appear together before cameras, unlike former president George W. Bush, who met publicly with the Tibetan leader.
The meeting comes as US-China ties have soured in recent weeks amid spats over US arms sales to Taiwan, trade disputes, currency issues and accusations of Chinese cyber-spying from internet giant Google.
Obama had cancelled a meeting with the Dalai Lama ahead of his September visit to China. But the administration rebuffed calls by China to cancel the encounter a second time.
The 74-year-old Tibetan exile was also to meet with US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
State Department spokesman Mark Toner acknowledged Wednesday that the US and China had a “complex relationship” but said the US would “continue to pursue that relationship vigorously”.
The Dalai Lama was “a respected cultural and religious figure, and as with past presidents we intend to meet with him”, Toner said.
The Dalai Lama has met with every US president since 1991, though the style of the meeting has varied. Former president Bill Clinton met with him privately in the White House. Bush publicly awarded him the Congressional Gold Medal in 2008.
The Dalai Lama has been living in exile in India since he fled from Tibet after Chinese occupation in 1959. He heads a Tibetan government-in-exile that is not recognized by any country.
China considers him a separatist, while the Dalai Lama has repeatedly said he is only seeking greater autonomy for Tibet within China. Several rounds of talks between his representatives and Chinese officials have yielded little progress.
The Tibetan leader’s 10-day visit to the US includes a series of public lectures on cultivating compassion and world peace in California and Florida.
On Friday he will receive the Democracy Service Medal from the National Endowment for Democracy.
- Tibetans welcome Obama, Dalai Lama meeting - Jul 16, 2011
- Amid Chinese warnings, Obama to meet Dalai Lama Thursday (Lead) - Feb 18, 2010
- Obama meets Dalai Lama defying Chinese warnings (Third Lead) - Feb 19, 2010
- Tibetans hail Dalai Lama-Obama meet - Jul 17, 2011
- China to fight Dalai Lama's 'separatism' - Jul 19, 2011
- At 76, Dalai Lama remains hopeful on Tibet - Jul 05, 2011
- The Dalai Lama: A monk on the move - Aug 23, 2010
- Don't hold Obama-Dalai Lama meeting: China - Jul 16, 2011
- Dalai Lama leaves for 10-day US visit - Feb 16, 2010
- Obama meets Dalai Lama, defying Chinese warnings (Second Lead) - Feb 19, 2010
- Dalai Lama set to leave for US, to meet Obama (Lead, Superseding earlier story) - Feb 16, 2010
- Obama-Dalai Lama meet shows US concern for Tibet, say exiles - Feb 12, 2010
- Dalai Lama is not a separatist, Archbishop Tutu tells China - Feb 10, 2012
- Obama urges China to discuss Tibet with the Dalai Lama (Lead) - Nov 17, 2009
- Dalai Lama achieves phenomenal following on Twitter - Jul 26, 2011
Tags: china ties, chinese occupation, clinton state, congressional gold medal, country china, currency issues, dalai lama, former president bill clinton, google, hillary rodham clinton, internet giant, living in exile, mark toner, president bill clinton, president george w bush, state department spokesman, taiwan trade, tibetan exile, tibetan government in exile, tibetan leader