Global Post
February 22, 2014
U.S. President Barack Obama met with Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at the White House on Friday and expressed support for protection of Tibetans’ human rights and traditions, the White House said.
Obama’s first meeting with the exiled leader since Chinese President Xi Jinping took office last year came despite objections from Beijing. Obama and the Dalai Lama last met in July 2011 in Washington.
“The president reiterated his strong support for the preservation of Tibet’s unique religious, cultural and linguistic traditions and the protection of human rights for Tibetans” in China, according to the White House.
Chinese authorities have faced a series of protest activities by Tibetans against what they see as repressive policies.
In Beijing, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui on Friday night summoned Daniel Kritenbrink, charge d’affaires at the U.S. Embassy in China, to lodge a strong protest against the meeting. “China expresses strong indignation and firm opposition,” China’s official Xinhua News Agency quoted Zhang as saying.
Obama and the Dalai Lama agreed on the need to resume dialogue between representatives of the Dalai Lama and Chinese government officials in the meeting in the White House’s Map Room, which is typically used for the president’s private meetings.
Obama told the Dalai Lama that the United States regards Tibet as part of China and does not support Tibetan independence.
Obama expressed support for the Dalai Lama’s “Middle Way” approach in which he seeks higher-level autonomy for Tibet.
The White House quoted the Dalai Lama as telling Obama that he is “not seeking independence for Tibet and hopes that dialogue between his representatives and the Chinese government will resume.”
The Chinese government calls the Dalai Lama an anti-China separatist and opposed the meeting.
White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters that Obama met with the Dalai Lama as “an internationally respected religious and cultural leader” and that the meeting was in keeping with past practice.
Marie Harf, spokeswoman of the State Department, told a separate press conference that the United States continues to urge the Chinese government “to resume dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representative without preconditions as a means to reduce tensions.”
