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Dalai Lama prepares for Western tour

-Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Tibetan exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will leave his home in India on Wednesday for a tour of Western nations, in a bid to keep attention on China 's actions in Tibet ahead of the Beijing Olympics.

The Dalai Lama will visit five Western nations, for talks on China's actions in Tibet ahead of the Olympic Games. [Reuters]

The Dalai Lama will visit Germany , followed by the United States , Australia , Britain and France .

His spokesman, Tenzin Takla, says the Tibetan leader will not meet the German Chancellor or Foreign Minister.

Analysts say a meeting between Chancellor Angela Merkl and the Dalai Lama in 2007 generated tensions between Berlin and Beijing .

On this trip, the Dalai Lama will meet German parliamentary speaker Norbert Lammert and two state premiers.

"His Holiness does not wish to create any inconvenience for anyone or any country," Mr Takla.

After Germany , the Dalai Lama will travel to London for talks with Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

He will return to India from his five-nation tour on August 20, four days before the closing Olympic ceremony.

It is expected the Tibetan spiritual leader will seek to discuss China 's crackdown in Tibet in March.

"Eighty percent of his visits are devoted to his commitment to human values and the promotion of religious harmony but of course since he is meeting leaders and parliamentarians questions on the recent unrest will be asked and answered," Mr Takla said.

China has accused the Dalai Lama of fomenting unrest to damage the Olympic Games, an allegation the Buddhist leader vehemently denies.