China mum on Dalai Lama's request to visit quake-hit areas

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

PTI
By K J M Varma
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama offers condolences to the victims of the recent earthquake that struck Kyigudo in north-eastern Tibet on Wednesday/Office of His Holiness

Beijing, Apr 20 : China today evaded a direct response to the Dalai Lama's request to visit the quake-hit Qinghai province in Tibetan plateau, but brought the 11th Panchen Lama to conduct Buddhist prayer rituals for those killed in the quake.

Evading a direct answer whether China would allow the India-based Dalai Lama to visit quake-hit areas, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu merely said that China fully respects the religious beliefs and customs of locals and all religious ceremonies including prayer and expiation activities were being conducted without any hindrance.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama last week asked China to allow him to visit the victims in quake-hit Qinghai province, where he was born.