Dalai Lama not unhappy at low-key Obama meet

Just days after meeting with President Barack Obama, the Dalai Lama said on Saturday that he was not offended by the low-key reception he received and understands that the President must be practical despite his stated commitment to championing human rights worldwide.

Tibet's exiled spiritual leader sad that he recognizes Obama must juggle his desire to support the Dalai Lama's push for greater Tibetan autonomy with his concerns about angering China, a growing U.S. economic rival and hoped-for partner. ``No disappointment. The last six decades my heart hardened. I do not consider important political gestures. I don't care. The important is meet face-to-face,'' said the Dalai Lama, who was sometimes assisted by a translator.

``With President Clinton, the first meeting was a 'drop-in,''' he said. ``People asked me the same question (then). I don't care.''

The Dalai Lama made the remarks while in Los Angeles to support Whole Child International, an organization that advocates better care for orphans worldwide.

Obama hosted the Dalai Lama on Thursday in Washington, D.C., but kept the get-together off-camera and low-key in an attempt to avoid inflaming tensions with China. Beijing regards any official foreign leader's contact with the Buddhist monk as an infringement on its sovereignty over the mountainous region and as a particularly unwelcome snub. This time, China had urged Obama not to meet with the 75-year-old spiritual leader, saying the visit ``seriously harms U.S.-China relations.''

The Dalai Lama said it is crucial for the U.S. to develop an economic relationship with China without forgoing America's founding principles.

- Asian Tribune -