Tibet's government in exile dismissed a strongly worded warning from China against any possible meeting between the Dalai Lama and US President Obama.BEIJING (AP) – China warned President Barack Obama on Tuesday not to meet the Dalai Lama, saying any such meeting would harm bilateral relations. [This comes on the heels of U.S. arms deals with Taiwan, another breakaway region from central Chinese control. The deals have strained Sino-American relations. The following graphic illustrates previous meetings between the Dalai Lama and international heads of states (AFP).]
Graphic on previous meetings between the Dalai Lama and international heads of states. Tibet's government in exile Tuesday dismissed a strongly worded warning from China against any possible meeting between the Dalai Lama and US President Barack Obama.(AFP/Graphic)
- Dalai Lama Video (Reuters)
An Obama meeting with the Dalai Lama would "seriously undermine the political foundation of Sino-U.S. relations," said Zhu Weiqun, executive deputy head of the Communist Party's United Front Work Department in charge of recent talks with the exiled Tibetan leader's envoys.
Zhu was speaking at a news conference where he said no progress had been made at the talks with envoys of the Dalai Lama on changes to the Himalayan region's status.
Zhu was speaking at a news conference where he said no progress had been made at the talks with envoys of the Dalai Lama on changes to the Himalayan region's status.
The warning to Obama comes after signals from U.S. officials in recent weeks that Obama might soon meet the exiled Tibetan leader — something Chinese officials are keen to avoid before President Hu Jintao travels to Washington, possibly in April.
Zhu said any arguments that the Dalai Lama was just a religious figure were wrong, calling the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate the "head of a separatist group."
No date for Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama has been announced, but White House spokesman Mike Hammer said last month that "the President has made clear to the Chinese government that we intend to meet with the Dalai Lama, it has been his every intention." More>>
Zhu said any arguments that the Dalai Lama was just a religious figure were wrong, calling the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate the "head of a separatist group."
No date for Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama has been announced, but White House spokesman Mike Hammer said last month that "the President has made clear to the Chinese government that we intend to meet with the Dalai Lama, it has been his every intention." More>>
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