Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Bush to attend ceremony for Dalai Lama

|
|
 
  
Published: Oct. 12, 2007 at 3:51 PM

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush planned to be at the U.S. Capitol to honor the Dalai Lama when he receives a Congressional Gold Medal, a move that has annoyed China.

The Dalai Lama is a familiar figure in Washington and has had 12 meetings with U.S. presidents. But Bush's previous encounters with the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists have been in the residential quarters of the White House, signaling a private rather than official meeting.

This time, the president and first lady Laura Bush invited the Dalai Lama to their living quarters on Tuesday, The Los Angeles Times reports. On Wednesday, the Dalai Lama is to be at the Capitol.

China, which claims Tibet, has objected to the decision to give the Dalai Lama the medal. Liu Jianchao, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, said Thursday that China had warned the United States that it was seen as an unfriendly gesture, the China Daily reported.

"We are firmly against any country or people using this issue to interfere in China's internal affairs," Liu said at a briefing Thursday.

Topics: Dalai Lama, First Lady Laura Bush, George Bush, Laura Bush, Liu Jianchao
© 2007 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
Notable deaths of 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee AmfAR Cinema Against AIDS gala
Indianapolis 500 Presidential Medal of Freedom Memorial Day around the nation
Additional Top News Stories
1 of 27
Snigdha Nandipati of San Diego wins Finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee
View Caption
Snigdha Nandipati of San Diego, California watches confetti rain down as she wins the two-day Scripps National Spelling Bee championship, May 31, 2012, in National Harbor, Maryland. Nandipati successfully spelled the word .* guetapens *, meaning to lure or ambush. UPI/Mike Theiler
fark
If you ever did win the lottery, would you give it away or surprise people with it in fun ways?
Criminal Pro-tip: when you steal someone's credit card, don't use your own grocery club card on...
The 21 absolute worst things in the world (not a slideshow). Bonus: #21
Egg-ception
How bad are things in Detroit? Even the fish are being murdered
Nineteen things that will drive your OCD self insane