06. Oct 2009
Why Dalai Lama didn't meet President Obama
(ICT; Whitehouse.gov) The Dalai Lama's Special Envoy, Lodi Gyari issued a statement as the Dalai Lama arrived in Washington DC for a five-day visit during which he will meet Speaker Pelosi and other Congressional leaders. In the statement, Mr Gyari said the Dalai Lama will not be meeting with President Obama on this visit. He said: "From the outset, there has been no question of President Obama not at the appropriate time meeting His Holiness, whom he holds in great esteem. Taking a broader and long-term perspective, His Holiness agreed to meet the President after the November US-China Summit". "Our hope is that the cooperative US-Chinese relationship that President Obama's administration seeks will create conditions that support the resolution of the legitimate grievances of the Tibetan people", he said. When asked whether President Obama was under Chinese pressure to snub the Dalai Lama, Mr Robert Gibbs, a White House spokesperson said: "We're concerned about the people in Tibet and we're concerned about the Chinese. I think the statement that the Dalai Lama and his supporters put out [...] were fully in support of a meeting that will take place later in the year. They understand a strong relationship - a stronger relationship that we have with China benefits the Tibetan people".