The Dalai Lama tosses some snow as he walks to talk with reporters outside the White House West Wing on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010, after meeting with President Barack Obama.
The Dalai Lama tosses some snow as he walks to talk with reporters outside the White House West Wing on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010, after meeting with President Barack Obama.
Earlier today, the president welcomed the Dalai Lama to the White House, with little fanfare.
NPR State Department correspondent Michele Keleman says the president kept the meeting low key, so as not to anger China.
The two leaders met in the Map Room, not the Oval Office, and Obama and the Dalai Lama did not pose for photographs afterward.
According to Keleman, "it was carefully choreographed so that it would not further strain relations between the US and China."
Last year, the president postponed a meeting with the Dalai Lama. Keleman says he wanted to travel to Beijing first.
In November, Obama informed Chinese leaders that he planned to meet with the Tibetan spiritual leader, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters.
- Twitter (3)
- Facebook (22)
- Google+
- Comments ()
Comments
Discussions for this story are now closed. Please see the Community FAQ for more information.