Obama delays meeting with the Dalai Lama

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. President Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama has been delayed until after Obama's meeting next month with China's President Hu Jintao, officials said.

The decision to postpone the meeting is seen as part of an overall strategy seeking to improve relations with China that includes a less in-your-face approach to China's human rights and financial policies, among other things, The Washington Post reported Monday.

It would be the first time since 1991 that the Tibetan spiritual leader has visited Washington and not met the president.

U.S. officials told Tibetan representatives that they wanted to work with China on critical issues, including nuclear weapons proliferation in North Korea and Iran, an Asian diplomat familiar with the situation told the Times.

"They were worried about too many irritating factors all at once," the diplomat said. "They didn't want to have too many things straining the relationship."