World News

President Bush Meets with the Dalai Lama

By Joshua Smith - 23rd May, 2001

His Holiness, the XIV Dalai Lama, met at the White House this morning with the President of the United States and the National Security Advisor to discuss Tibet. The President commended the Dalai Lama's commitment to nonviolence and declared his strong support for the Dalai Lama's tireless efforts to initiate a dialogue with the Chinese government.

The President said he would seek ways to encourage dialogue and expressed his hope that the Chinese government would respond favorably. The President also reiterated the strong commitment of the United States to support the preservation of Tibet's unique religious, cultural, and linguistic identity and the protection of the human rights of all Tibetans.

Despite the controversy raised by the meeting in the wake of the U.S.-China spyplane incident, both leaders reportedly agreed on the importance of fostering strong and constructive relations between China and the United States.