DALAI LAMA WELCOME IN THE NETHERLANDS

Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen says the Dalai Lama is welcome in the Netherlands. The foreign minister's declaration comes in response to plans to bring the Tibetan spiritual leader to the Netherlands next year.

The Dalai Lama was due to take part in a Dutch human rights conference last Wednesday but the visit has been cancelled. In an interview broadcast by a Dutch current affairs television programme, Mr Verhagen said he would have met with the Dalai Lama if the visit had gone ahead as planned.

China is opposed to any meetings between the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader and Western leaders. Beijing responded furiously to a recent meeting between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the Tibetan leader in the Polish city of Gdansk.
read more (radionetherlands.nl)


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December 15, 2008