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Australian PM Rudd not meeting Dalai Lama

By Nicola Berkovic | The Australian

Exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama greets the audience while attending the “Free The Children – We Day” at GM Place in Vancouver, Canada, 29 September 2009. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has decided not to meet the Dalai Lama on his forthcoming visit to Australia in December.File photo/Reuters/Andy Clark/Canada

Kevin Rudd has decided not to meet the Dalai Lama on his forthcoming visit to Australia.

Mr Rudd met the Tibetan leader while in opposition but has not met him since becoming Prime Minister.

The decision has caused “disappointment” to Tibetans in Australia. A spokesman for Mr Rudd said in a statement: “The Prime Minister has met with the Dalai Lama in the past, however, will not be meeting with him on this visit.

“The Dalai Lama is a frequent visitor to Australia. This will be the Dalai Lama’s third visit to Australia in three years.

“Last year the Dalai Lama was met by senior representatives of the government and that will also happen on this visit.

“Given the frequency of the Dalai Lama’s visits the government believes the current arrangements are appropriate.”

Australia Tibet Council executive officer Paul Bourke said he was disappointed in the Prime Minister’s decision.

“China makes their views known on the Dalai Lama wherever he goes. Generally they would bring pressure on any government leader not to meet him,” he said.

“However, the Prime Minister has spoken strongly on the Tibetan issue in the past and we think it is appropriate that he meets with the Dalai Lama … (and encourages) negotiations between the Tibetans and the Chinese government.”

The decision comes after the government disappointed Beijing by granting a visa to exiled Uyghur leader Rebiya Kadeer, branded a terrorist by China.

Relations have also been strained by the collapse of the $US19.5 billion alliance between Rio Tinto and Chinalco in June and a prolonged brawl over iron ore pricing, which ended with the arrest of four Rio employees, including Australian Stern Hu.

Copyright © 2009 News Limited.

Published in The Australian