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Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama poses for a "selfie" with blogger and activist Alek Boyd yesterday. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Obama to meet the Dalai Lama today despite stern warning from China

The meeting was only announced late last night and is being held behind closed doors.

THE US PRESIDENT Barack Obama is hosting the Dalai Lama at the White House today despite a stern objection of China.

Obama will greet the Tibetan spiritual leader and fellow Nobel laureate today while the Dalai Lama is in the US on a speaking tour.

The White House did not announce the meeting until late last night prompting a gruff complaint from Beijing in what has become something of a diplomatic ritual whenever Obama meets with the exiled Buddhist monk.

China

They warned that the meeting would “inflict grave damages” on the US relationship with the Asian powerhouse.

Urging Obama to cancel the meeting, China’s government accused the president of letting the Dalai Lama use the White House as a podium to promote anti-Chinese activities.

“The US leader’s planned meeting with Dalai is a gross interference in China’s domestic politics,” said Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for China’s Foreign Ministry.

Damage

“It is a severe violation of the principles of international relations. It will inflict grave damages upon the China-U.S. relationship.”

Beijing routinely protests when world leaders grant an audience to the Dalai Lama, including when Obama met with him in 2010 and again in 2011.

Chinese officials denounce the Dalai Lama as a separatist responsible for instigating self-immolations by Tibetans inside China, but he is widely respected around the world for his advocacy of peace and tolerance.

Obama was to host the Dalai Lama in the White House’s Map Room, rather than the Oval Office, where the president traditionally brings a visiting leader for a round of photographs. The private meeting, closed to reporters, suggested an attempt to avoid the appearance of a formal meeting between two heads of state.

The US had no immediate response to the rebuke from China. The White House said Obama was meeting with the Dalai Lama in his capacity as a cultural and religious leader.

Officials reiterated that the US recognises Tibet as part of China and doesn’t support Tibetan independence.

“The United States supports the Dalai Lama’s ‘Middle Way’ approach of neither assimilation nor independence for Tibetans in China,” said Caitlin Hayden, a spokeswoman for the White House’s National Security Council.

She added that presidents of both parties have met with the Dalai Lama for decades.

At the same time, officials said they were concerned about tensions and deteriorating human rights in China’s Tibetan areas, urging Beijing to resume talks with the Dalai Lama or his followers without preconditions.

Tibet

China, in its response to the meeting, said it had relayed its concerns formally to the US and urged Washington to treat its concerns seriously. China bitterly opposes the Dalai Lama’s quest for greater Tibetan autonomy and is wary of Obama’s efforts to increase US influence in the region.

Relations between the US and China are already on edge over Beijing’s increasingly aggressive steps to assert itself in the region, including in territorial disputes with its smaller neighbours. China’s emergence as a leading global economic and military power has strained ties with Washington, and the two have also clashed over cyber theft and human rights.

A frequent visitor to the US the Dalai Lama has lived in exile in northern India since fleeing China in 1959.

Read: Dalai Lama crosses Derry Peace Bridge with Catholic and Protestant children>

Read: Best mates: Prince Charles and the Dalai Lama (pics)>

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25 Comments
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    Mute Cashel Woods
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 6:44 AM

    He is the architect of the water charges fiasco and when he completely messed that up, Fine Gael leadership sent him to Europe. Now he is been given a commissioner role with the EU, it will end in tears!

    237
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    Mute Ronan McDermott
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 6:29 AM

    Pity he couldn’t see the errors in his own ways. The clown.

    260
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    Mute Derek hutchings
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 6:43 AM

    And Trump is going to listen to him

    144
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    Mute Bridget O'Hanlon
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 6:46 AM

    @Derek hutchings: He is, yeah

    53
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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 7:33 AM

    @Derek hutchings: eh! Yeah he is a good guy. We had a great conversation we are good friends. We can do a deal. You can just hear it all.

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    Mute JusticeForJoe
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 5:13 PM

    @Dave Barrett: I can almost hear it now “Bill Hoban and I had a… excuse me? Phil? Really? Maybe he changed it since our conversation because I told him, I said ‘Phil is a great name. It sounds like your name but it’s very cleverly spelt like the short version of a name we give our beautiful state of Philadelphia. Really great state. Great people. Well, the white ones I mean I don’t know about the other areas I only know what I’m told but I don’t listen because it’s fake news, but yeah, Bill Cosby and I had a really great, a really great conversation and I think we’re gonna do great business”

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    Mute shay o'brien
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 6:44 AM

    Sure doesn’t he deserve an all expenses paid holiday in the states just like Leo and co. 5 star all the way with the company credit card. it’s a great little country that can stick it.

    112
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    Mute et
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 7:19 AM

    “To get Mr Trump to see the errors of his ways” What a pathetic statement, someone needs to point out the many errors of Mr Hogan’s ways in this Country.

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    Mute Donal McGrath
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 7:36 AM

    Good old Big Phil. I’ll bet he’s flying economy to Washington, staying in a Holiday Inn and bringing his own sandwiches (and water). What value for money we get from selfless public representatives like him. We should be so grateful to have him working for our interests.

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    Mute David A. Murray
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 6:48 AM

    I’d love to see the transcript of their meeting. For once I almost feel sympathy for both Trump having to meet Hogan and Hogan having to meet Trump.

    47
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    Mute Gerard Heery
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 6:48 AM

    They’ll make some pair of negotiators ,fake news and trickle

    45
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    Mute Willy Mc Bride
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 7:51 AM

    Hey Phil, Tell Don the EU will turn down trade to a trickle shall the US not play ball. They’ll see the errors of their way..
    Clown…

    58
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    Mute Jonny
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 8:21 AM

    How embarrassing someone like this who forced austerity and water charges onto people a representative of Ireland going to the USA, we haven’t forgotten Hogan..

    78
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    Mute Early Cuyler
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 8:07 AM

    The EU is Tower of Babel which isolates people power. While every Phil Hogan on the continent gets to have a go.

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    Mute Madra
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 7:48 AM

    Trump doesn’t even deserve that punishment lol

    41
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    Mute Dave Harris
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 7:36 AM

    I dunno, Big Phil might be just the sort of boofhead Trump might listen to. Trump doesn’t seem to cope well with the normal diplomat types

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    Mute Leo Lalor
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 8:10 AM

    Don’t let this fool within 100 miles of any issue .

    64
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    Mute Al Fresco
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 10:18 AM

    What a great little country we are at sorting out other peoples problems, remember not so long ago Shane Ross and some of his buddies were going to go to North Korea to talk some “ sense” into the people here. And now Phil Hogan is going to sort out Trump?
    The same way he sorted out Irish Water maybe? He was promoted to a big job in Europe because he was an embarrassment to the Government here, wouldn’t you think he would keep his head down and his mouth shut while the big paychecks are coming in?

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    Mute Shakka1244
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 9:57 AM

    An unstoppable ego meets an immovable ego. Not sure who is who though.

    13
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    Mute J. Reid
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 9:14 AM

    The goal of improving EU trade relationships with the US is, of course, a wise one. However, it is a very bad start, on the part of Phil Hogan, by condescendingly stating that he wants to get the President of the United States “to see the error of his ways” on trade. Apart from being arrogant, this utterance by Hogan is also disrespectful because it fails to show an understanding of what Donald Trump is trying to do in regard to America’s need to reform its trading relationships with the rest of the world.

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    Mute Charles McCarthy
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 9:48 AM

    I believe he has a healthy appetite for all things spud related.

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    Mute Eddie O'Neill
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 11:19 AM

    Someone wants to go shopping in NY?

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    Mute Dan Jacobson
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 9:49 AM

    Why is there no mention in the article of the regulatory war the EU has been waging against the US and the EU’s hypocrisy exposed in the environmental emissions scandals of its primary automotive industry? I trust Herr Hogan gets the response both he and the EU deserve. This quisling is the ideal man for the job.

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    Mute Mary Mc Carthy
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 8:40 AM

    Waste of time and money !
    Anyway even Americans are fed up with him . He won’t be in power much longer

    11
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    Mute LARRY SNEEG
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 11:53 AM

    Neck of him , LOL

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    Mute Dave Walsh
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 8:49 AM

    It takes a special type of stupid to vote for people like hogan and trump,,, you know who you are….

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    Mute stephen darling
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 7:02 PM

    Take Phil off to Guantanamo for a water boarding session and charge him by the pint

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    Mute Charles McCarthy
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 2:58 PM

    I believe he has a ferocious appetite for all things spud related.
    Oul spuds, new spuds, boiled spuds, mashed, bashed, mangled, you name he loves em all.

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    Mute Noel McGuinness
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 10:17 PM

    what about climate change how many flights this year pilo the world is ending ask leo

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    Mute Marie Broomfield
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    Oct 2nd 2019, 10:22 AM

    is this like an interview test? If he bags the big fish he gets the job?

    4
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