Ignoring China's objections, United States President George W Bush met the Dalai Lama at the White House on Tuesday, on the eve of a Capitol Hill ceremony to give the Tibetan spiritual leader the Congressional Gold Medal, America's highest civilian honour.
The 30-minute meeting was held in the White House. However, officials gave no summary of their discussion, and, unlike previous visits, no photographs were released.
According to reports, the Dalai Lama and Bush were joined by First Lady Laura Bush for a discussion on violations of human rights in Burma.
On Wednesday, the Tibetan leader will receive the Congressional Gold Medal for his ''fight for democracy, freedom, and Tibet's cultural heritage through a negotiated settlement with Beijing based on autonomy within the People's Republic.''
Bush will also be present at the Capitol Hill ceremony where the Tibetan leader receives the Gold medal. This will be the first time a sitting US President will appear with the Dalai Lama at a public event.
According to a report from Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi demanded cancellation of the award ceremony, saying it seriously violates the norms of international relations. Jiechi said that such a ceremony will wound the feelings of the Chinese people and interfere with China's internal affairs.
White House Spokeswoman Dana Perino said, "Tuesday's meeting should not come as a surprise to China because President Bush had discussed it with Chinese President Hu Jintao at the Asian Pacific Economic summit in Australia earlier this month.''
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