Dalai Lama visa tiff scrubs conference

Published: March. 25, 2009 at 2:25 AM
Dalai Lama speaks to journalist in Japan

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, March 25 (UPI) -- A high-profile conference in South Africa has been canceled over the government's refusal to grant a visa to the Dalai Lama, the organizers said Tuesday.

The Tibetan spiritual leader was one of five winners of the Nobel Peace Prize scheduled to attend the event in Johannesburg, which The New York Times said was being organized as part of the run-up to next year's World Cup soccer tournament in South Africa.

The Times reported South Africa's two laureates, Desmond Tutu and F.W. de Klerk, chided the government for supposedly caving in to pressure from China to bar the Dalai Lama, who is a symbol of Tibet's independence movement.

A government spokesman said it had been determined that it would "not be in South Africa's best interests" to admit the Dalai Lama because his presence would have drawn too much attention to the debate over Tibet.

© 2009 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
UPI Sports Calendar for Tuesday, Nov. 24 (29 min)
Hiring rivals' workers can be an advantage (38 min)
NBA: Los Angeles Clippers 91, Minnesota 87
Tea may help control blood sugar
COL BKB: Maryland 79, Chaminade 51
NHL: Anaheim 3, Calgary 2 (SO)
COL BKB: Texas 85, Iowa 60
fark
Charges dropped against dad who drove a drunken intruder away from his wife and young kids... with...
The Public Option, which was alive, then dead, then alive, then dead, then alive, then dead, then...
If you are the person who stole more than 1,000,000 bees, please return them as it is nearly pollination...
Caption President Obama and his staff overlooking a computer
Scottish city declines to sanction official drunken street party for New Year's, since citizens...
Recent immigrants to Canada more likely to be male, younger, better educated, work for smaller companies...