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President Obama to Meet His Holiness the
Dalai Lama, Says White House |
Dharamshala:
US President Barack Obama will go ahead with his
plans to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama when he
visits Washington next time, the White House Deputy
Press Secretary said Tuesday.
 His
Holiness the Dalai Lama will visit United States
from 17 to 24 February. His Holiness will give
public talks on global compassion and world peace in
California and Florida.
"The President told China's leaders during his trip
last year that he would meet with the Dalai Lama,
and he intends to do so. The Dalai Lama is an
internationally respected religious and cultural
leader, and the President will meet him in that
capacity," Deputy Secretary Bill Burton said.
He said the US government has human rights concerns
about the treatment of Tibetans. We urge the
government of China to protect the unique cultural
and religious traditions of Tibet," Burton said.
The Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs,
P J Crowley, said that China has made its views
clear to the U.S. on His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
"Chinese have made clear their views regarding
meetings with the Dalai Lama, regarding arms sales
to Taiwan, and I think what we're clearly indicating
is that we will continue to follow our national
interest just as we would expect China to follow its
national interest," he said.
Responding to China's negative response to the
future meeting between President Obama and His
Holiness the Dalai Lama, Secretary for Information
Thubten Samphel said: "From our perspective, we feel
the role of the United States is to facilitate a
just and honest dialogue between the Dalai Lama's
envoys and the government of China."
"So there is nothing wrong in a meeting between the
president and His Holiness," Mr Samphel told Agence
France-Presse.
"The United States supports His Holiness's approach
that the issue of Tibet must be resolved within the
framework of the Chinese constitution," he said.
"So we see no reason for China's argument that such
a meeting would undermine Sino-U.S. relations," he
added. |
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