The White House Blog
Posted by Kori Schulman on July 17, 2011
Yesterday morning President Obama met with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama in the Map Room of the White House. Here's the statement from the Press Secretary on their meeting:
The President reiterated his strong support for the preservation of the unique religious, cultural, and linguistic traditions of Tibet and the Tibetan people throughout the world. He underscored the importance of the protection of human rights of Tibetans in China. The President commended the Dalai Lama’s commitment to nonviolence and dialogue with China and his pursuit of the “Middle Way” approach. Reiterating the U.S. policy that Tibet is a part of the People’s Republic of China and the United States does not support independence for Tibet, the President stressed that he encourages direct dialogue to resolve long-standing differences and that a dialogue that produces results would be positive for China and Tibetans. The President stressed the importance he attaches to building a U.S.-China cooperative partnership. The Dalai Lama stated that he is not seeking independence for Tibet and hopes that dialogue between his representatives and the Chinese government can soon resume.
The strange thing about all this is that the Dalai Lama met with John Boehner, and that an unscheduled meeting, in the White House, with the president, took place in the Map Room. There was no press allowed, and only one photograph, with no video coverage. The Dalai Lama exited through the back door.
This might be seen as a personal affront to the Republicans and those globalists of the suit and tie club who are concerned by formalities, but the Dalai Lama is hip. In fact he mentioned in his Message of Peace that he was not concerned by formalities. Come to think of it, at my house, real friends enter and exit through the back door...G:
The illustrious John Boehner and his friend Nancy
The Dalai Lama on the White House Lawn with A Message of Peace
