Defying China, Obama Meets With Dalai Lama

It won’t make China happy, but it’s the right thing to do.

“The president reiterated his strong support for the preservation of the unique religious, cultural, and linguistic traditions of Tibet and the Tibetan people throughout the world,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement after the meeting.

“He underscored the importance of the protection of human rights of Tibetans in China. The president commended the Dalai Lama’s commitment to nonviolence and dialogue with China.”

China, which accuses the Dalai Lama of being a separatist who supports the use of violence to set up an independent Tibet, said it opposed any meeting between him and foreign government officials.

The Nobel Prize laureate denies China’s accusations, saying he wants a peaceful transition to autonomy for the remote Himalayan region, which China has ruled with an iron fist since 1950 when Chinese troops marched in.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.