Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen says the Dalai Lama is welcome in the Netherlands. The foreign minister's declaration comes in response to plans to bring the Tibetan spiritual leader to the Netherlands next year.
Dutch FM Maxime Verhagen |
The Dalai Lama was due to take part in a Dutch human rights conference on Wednesday but the visit has been cancelled. In an interview broadcast by a Dutch current affairs television programme, Mr Verhagen said he would have met with the Dalai Lama if the visit had gone ahead as planned.
China's warning
China is opposed to any meetings between the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader and Western leaders. Beijing responded furiously to a recent meeting between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the Tibetan leader in the Polish city of Gdansk. The Communist Party's newspaper The People's Daily said Mr Sarkozy was undermining the core intersts of China so as to win domestic support. The paper warned that this will ultimately damage the interests of France and Europe.
Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama |
Mr Sarkozy said that as a French head of state it was his duty to meet all winners of the Nobel Peace Prize, one of whom is the Dalai Lama.
A threat
Beijing regards as the Dalai Lama as a threat to the integrity of the Chinese state as he is striving for more autonomy for Tibet. The Dalai Lama has repeatedly denied that he wants Tibet's full independence from China.
Tibet came under Chinese rule in 1951, three years after the Communist revolution.
Tags:
China,
Dalai Lama,
Maxime Verhagen,
Tibet
E. Wong,
20-12-2008
- England
Seems you ppl here are progammed to the astonishingly same level, say prototype 101? Your logic goes like this (1) China is communist state, because it has been so after WWII (2) all communist states are evil (3) our media remind us everyday that all actions of a communist state are evil (4) thus anyone who is not agree with China must be good under all circunstances (5) therefore we must be with anyone who is not agrees with China. Well said, everyone ! Now go back and say hello to the kindergarden teachers.
Of course Maxime Verhagen says so. Who wouldn't? He has nothing to loss and "moral highground" to gain anyway.
John,
18-12-2008
- USA
Western world & the so-called world power nations should help Tibet to have a greater autonomy to preserve its culture, tradition, religion etc.Tibet has suffered a lot.
romy,
18-12-2008
- USA
The whole world should pressure China to hold a meaningfull talk with the Dalai Lama & come with a concrete result. It's nice that the Netherlands is inviting the spiritual leader of Tibet.
Enrik,
17-12-2008
- Belgium
I hope this invitation is not for name sake. It should be a meaningfull invitation to help the Tibetans who are every day suffering under China.
Tracy,
17-12-2008
- USA
Very good that now Europe is taking some initiative by meeting the Dalai Lama who deserves respect & applause for his peaceful policy against China.
Miyuki,
16-12-2008
- Japan
Falun Gong practitioners & Tibetan buddhism followers are brutally tortured secretly behind the bars or slaughtered behind the scenes, & these things are happening only because the nation is run by non elected communism,which is a very sad fact.
Sarah,
16-12-2008
- U.K
Tibet belongs to Tibetans, China belongs to Chinese. Communism is the biggest pain as it's brutal to it's own citizens as well as to others also.
Wilma,
16-12-2008
- Nederland
Don't know about others but I would certainly be happy if H.H. the Dalai Lama visits here to share his thoughts about the ongoing crack down in Tibet secretly right now too. It's high time, now media should be allowed inside Tibet.
alex,
12-12-2008
- USA
David Berridge wrote: "The Netherlands is a soverign state which can exercise its foreign policy based on its political free will. "
Agreed. No one challenges the "soverignty" of the Netherlands here.
You statement reminds me when my teenage son starts to yell "I can do anything I want".
alex,
12-12-2008
-
Lobsang wrote: "The Netherlands welcomes H.H. the Dalai Lama"
Let's say assume that you can represent "The Netherlands" and your statement enjoys the backing of the people in the Netherlands. Good for you.
But it still does not matter.
naomi,
12-12-2008
-
Very glad that the Netherland is inviting & welcoming the Dalai lama who really deserves to be honoured by the whole world.
jenny,
12-12-2008
- Netherlands
Dalai lama is always welcome to Nederland. This is a free country & doesn't need to think twice to invite the Dalai lama who is a symbol of peace.
Jack Bakx,
11-12-2008
- The Netherlands
Me, as an individual and as a dutch citizen, would be highly obliged if the Dalai Lama wants to visit the Netherlands anytime. It will be Netherlands' honour.We embrace this opportunity whole heartedly.
Jack Bakx,
11-12-2008
- The Netherlands
I, as an individual and as a Dutch citizen, would be highly obliged if the Dalai Lama wants to visit the Netherlands anytime. It will be the Netherlands' honour.We embrace this opportunity wholeheartedly.
westparkplace,
10-12-2008
-
Do some study. Tibet was part of China before 1950 too.
