Howard defies China, plans to visit Dalai

Howard defies China, plans to visit Dalai

CANBERRA (Agencies): Senior Australian cabinet ministers dodged meetings with the Dalai Lama here yesterday, as Prime Minister John Howard announced in Indonesia he would meet Tibet's spiritual leader next week in defiance of Chinese threats.

Howard's statement followed strong protests by China and renewed threats of retaliation over the visit to Australia by the religious figurehead Beijing regards as the key symbol of Tibet's independence struggle.

"My position on the Dalai is that I will, providing our mutual travels make it possible, I will see him in Australia next week," Howard told reporters after a meeting with Indonesia's President Soeharto in Jakarta.

Howard said he "understood the sensitivities of the Chinese government" but hoped they understood the Dalai Lama was an important religious leader.

"I have explained to the Chinese authorities that naturally the Australian prime minister decides according to Australian interests who the Australian prime minister sees.

"We have a proper reputation as a country of religious and political tolerance and it is in that context that any meeting between us, if it can be arranged, will take place," Howard said.

However, his government left it entirely to Labor opposition leader Kim Beazley and members of the centrist Australian Democrats to welcome the 61-year-old Nobel laureate when he arrived here yesterday to bless the parliament.

Acting prime minister and Trade Minister Tim Fischer told reporters that he would not meet the Dalai Lama and the government would not formally recognize the visit.

"The government is not in the habit of particularly recognizing visits by religious leaders," Fischer said.

Fischer upset human rights groups and supporters of Tibet when he said last week that Chinese rule had brought many improvements to Tibet, and he did not plan to meet the Dalai Lama.

Senate leader and Environment Minister Robert Hill failed to explain his cancellation of an appointment to meet the Dalai Lama yesterday, issuing a statement which only said he would not be meeting him.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer incurred China's wrath by flying to Sydney from Adelaide to meet the Dalai Lama when he arrived Saturday night at the start of his 15-day visit.

China yesterday issued a stern warning that if the prime minister met the Dalai Lama, it would damage trade and business ties between Australia and China.

"About the leaders of some countries meeting the Dalai Lama, this is interference in China's internal affairs," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Shen Guofang told a news briefing in Beijing.

"(This) will influence relations between the two countries and unavoidably have an unfavorable influence on economic and trade relations between the two countries," Shen said when asked about a possible meeting between the Dalai Lama and Howard.

"Countries, including Australia and New Zealand, should be clear-minded about the Dalai Lama who deceives international opinion and the leaders of some countries," Shen said. The Dalai Lama visited New Zealand before arriving here on Saturday.

The Dalai Lama, exiled from his Himalayan homeland since 1959, has urged Howard to press Beijing to open talks on regional autonomy for the vast but sparsely-populated region.

A spokesman for the Dalai Lama in Australia, hailing Howard's comments as a step forward, said the Dalai Lama could adjust his schedule to allow a meeting.