China slams meeting between Brown-Dalai Lama

* Foreign Ministry calls meeting interference in Beijing’s internal affairs

BEIJING: China on Saturday voiced strong opposition to a meeting between British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Tibetan exiled leader the Dalai Lama, calling it interference in its internal affairs.

“The British side has refused to acknowledge our serious concerns,” foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement. “This interferes in China’s internal affairs,” he said.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Prime Minister Gordon Brown before the start of their meeting. (Photo by Ian Cumming/Office of Tibet, London)

“The Chinese side expresses its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this.” During the Friday meeting, Brown pledged Britain’s support for rapprochement between Tibet and China after Beijing held talks with envoys of the Dalai Lama.

Brown’s office said he held “warm and constructive” discussions with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader in a 30-minute meeting at Lambeth Palace, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s official residence in London.

The talks were the most contentious engagement in the 11-day visit to Britain of the Dalai Lama, who has been traveling widely in recent months. Brown, who is keen to boost trade and other links with China, also faced criticism at home for not receiving the Dalai Lama in the prime minister’s Downing Street office, as his predecessors Tony Blair and John Major did.

“The British government has many times expressed that it does not support Tibetan independence,” Qin said. “We urge the British side to implement its commitment with real actions and do more things that are beneficial to the long-term development of bilateral relations.”

The Dalai Lama has consistently voiced opposition to Tibetan independence from China, although he has advocated greater autonomy for his homeland and criticised Beijing’s policies there. Despite the newly restarted talks between Beijing and representatives of the exiled Dalai Lama, Qin’s statement appeared to reflect China’s long-held position that the spiritual leader’s international forays are all aimed at advancing Tibetan independence.

China had previously warned Britain that it was “seriously concerned” about his planned meeting with Brown. China has accused the Dalai Lama of fomenting the recent unrest in Tibet. afp