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Obama hails Dalai Lama as 'good friend'

February 5, 2015

US President Barack Obama has had a first public meeting with the Dalai Lama, hailing the Tibetan religious leader as a "good friend." Even before the encounter took place, Beijing had expressed its disquiet.

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USA National Prayer Breakfast in Washington (Dalai Lama)
Image: Reuters/K. Lamarque

Obama greeted the Dalai Lama at a National Prayer Breakfast in the US capital on Thursday, marking the pair's first ever public encounter.

As the Tibetan spiritual leader was formally introduced to the audience, the US president smiled and clasped his hands together in a bow-like gesture, before offering a more informal wave to the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader. The Dalai Lama gave a wave of his own, as well as a peace sign to the US president.

"I want to offer a special welcome to a good friend, His Holiness the Dalai Lama who is a powerful example of what it means to practice compassion, and who inspires us to speak up for the freedom and dignity of all human beings," Obama said in his address to some 3,600 people who were present.

"I've been pleased to welcome him to the White House on many occasions and we are grateful that he is able to join us here today."

The pair has met previously three times, but - with Washington wary of causing a diplomatic upset with China - each of those dialogues took place behind closed doors.

Tibetan flag-waving

The Dalai Lama, who has been living in exile in India since a failed uprising in 1959, was seated close to the president, but at a separate table.

Hundreds of anti-Beijing protesters, many waving Tibetan flags, gathered in the predawn darkness outside the hotel where the event took place.

USA National Prayer Breakfast in Washington (Demonstranten)
Supporters of an independent Tibet held aloft national symbols outside the event in WashingtonImage: Reuters/J. Ernst

China - which regards the Dalai Lama as a potentially dangerous separatist - had already expressed concern about the meeting. Beijing has long lobbied against foreign leaders from ever meeting the Buddhist monk, who it calls "a wolf in sheep's clothing.

"Tibet-related issues concern China's core interest and national feelings," a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman told a briefing on Tuesday. "We oppose to foreign countries' interfering with China's internal affairs and meeting with the Dalai Lama. We hope the US leader can look at the bigger picture of the relations and properly handle this issue."

'Acquiescing' to separatist effort

The government-published China Daily, widely regarded as a mouthpiece for the Chinese leadership, was less restrained. "Should a president of the United States meet with the Dalai Lama, it will unquestionably step on China's toes and therefore cast a shadow over US-China relations," the paper said in an editorial.

"Obama is acquiescing to the Dalai Lama's attempt to split Tibet from China."

During his speech about religious compassion at the Thursday prayer meeting, Obama also condemned "unspeakable acts of violence" carried out by the jihadist group "Islamic State" ("IS") in the name of religion.

Jordan's King Abdullah II had also been due to attend the breakfast, but canceled his plans to return home amid security concerns. IS militants released a video this week showing a Jordanian pilot being burned to death, with Amman promising an earth-shaking response to the killing.

rc/kms (AFP, Reuters, AP)