Associated Press
Milan, Italy – The Dalai Lama opened a 10-day visit to Italy on Thursday with few official meetings on his schedule and no plans by the Vatican for a papal audience for the Tibetan spiritual leader, despite earlier reports there would be one.
“I’m sorry I won’t meet him,” the Italian news agency quoted the Dalai Lama as saying about Pope Benedict XVI.
“Given that I’m here, I would like to have seen him.”
Italian news agencies, without identifying their sources, had reported that Benedict planned to meet with him on Dec. 13, but the Vatican later said there were no such plans.
Asked by Sky Italia TV if his visit appeared to be causing embarrassment for some, the Dalai Lama insisted his visit was not political. “I’m only a visitor,” he said.
Benedict met with the Dalai Lama last year. His present visit to Italy comes as the Vatican has stepped up efforts to improve church relations with China and an audience would clearly anger Beijing.
The Dalai Lama’s recent meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. President George W. Bush drew strong rebukes from Beijing, which claims he wants to split Tibet from China. The Dalai Lama insists he only seeks autonomy for Tibet, which China has occupied since 1951.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Thursday at a regular news briefing in Beijing: “Wherever the Dalai Lama goes, or in what name, the issue is not personal or religious. He represents a clique trying to split the country and seeking Tibetan independence, to which the Chinese government and people are firmly opposed.”
Among his activities in Milan are a meeting with the president of the Lombardy region and a ceremony for Nobel Peace Prize winners hosted by the Milan mayor. He is due in Rome next week.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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posted December 6, 2007 at 10:16 pm
Benny is just kissing up to the Chinese, to keep the Catholics safer in China perhaps? Don’t think it is going to make any difference. I’m sure the Chinese are smiling at their control,over other countries. Guess he figures last year’s meeting with the Dalai Lama was supposed to cover this year’s visit too!
posted December 6, 2007 at 10:16 pm
How about asking what the Tibetans want. This is a chosen leader that they want to have. China doesn’t need to have Tibet, they just want to suppress the religion. It is a slap in the face to put government before relgion when its another religious leader. The pope is wrong.
posted December 6, 2007 at 10:45 pm
I don’t think this is the first time a pope has chosen political convenience over morality.
posted December 6, 2007 at 11:04 pm
I know it is Advent, but really – just how busy is Ben? Most of the staff handle all the gift buying, sacrament preparing, and Vatican decorating. So why not carve out a few minutes for a gingerbread latte with the Dalai Lama. Of course, it was a little inconsiderate for D.L. to expect the head of one of the largest Christian organizations to make time for out of town guests, even just for coffee. There is a lot of rehearsals for that Christmas Eve Mass (which I truly do not miss each year. I really think it is one of the coolest things in Christendom. For a low-church guy like me, this is one of my guilty pleasures. Latin, pomp, international readings and prayers, awesome music. I truly envy them at the High Holidays).
Anyway, I think Ben dropped it on this one. Sadly, Ben’s accomodation of the Chinese is so transparent as to not be there at all!
posted December 9, 2007 at 1:04 pm
You know what Jestrfyl, I bet the Pope and Dalai snuck a cup of gingerbread latte together anyway. Neither of them are people who would allow themselves to be intimidated by any one.