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April 22, 2008
Dalai Lama to meet with State Dept. official on Tibetan issues
By Niraj Warikoo • Free Press Staff Writer • April 21, 2008
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The Dalai Lama is meeting today in Michigan with the U.S. State Department official in charge of Tibetan issues.
He is expected to talk with Paula J. Dobriansky, State Department undersecretary for democracy and global affairs, about the situation in China, where the government has cracked down on Tibetan protests in recent weeks and killed demonstrators.
The Dalai Lama said at a press conference Friday in Ann Arbor that the Chinese government is committing cultural genocide against Tibetan culture. He said he had recently tried to make contact with China about a dialogue but got a negative response. The Dalai Lama spoke to thousands this weekend at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor.
He and Dobriansky will appear for media photos at a University of Michigan auditorium before their meeting, said a university spokesman.
In an op-ed in today's Washington Post, Dobriansky wrote that "underlying these tragic events is China's long-standing repression of religious, cultural and other freedoms for the Tibetan people."
She also wrote that:
"When I meet with the Dalai Lama today, I fully expect him to reaffirm his strong commitment to engaging Chinese officials in dialogue."
Contact NIRAJ WARIKOO at warikoo@freepress.com.
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