Australian acting Prime Minister meets Dalai

Natasha Chaku

Melbourne, Jun 13 (PTI) Australia's acting Prime Minister
Chris Evans Friday met the Dalai Lama despite China's warning
to Canberra not to allow the Tibetan spiritual leader to
"engage in separatist activities" from its territory.

As Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his deputy Julia Gillard
are both abroad, Senator Evans, the senior most government
official available in the country, held a brief meeting with
the Dalai in Sydney, where the spiritual leader is conducting
week-long meditation teachings.

The meeting was restricted to a photo opportunity for
media and no details were disclosed.

The informal talks between the Dalai and Evans came a
day after China warned Australia not to allow the exiled Dalai
Lama to carry out "separatist activities" from its soil.

"We request Australia to pay attention to our grave
concerns and not allow the Dalai to engage in separatist
activities on Australian territory," Chinese Foreign ministry
spokesman Qin Gang said Thursday.

The Chinese Government, he said, "firmly opposes the
Dalai's engagement in separatist activities in any country
under any name and firmly opposes any country offering the
Dalai support or convenience to engage in separatist
activities."

China accuses the Dalai of seeking an independent Tibet,
but the Buddhist leader, who lives in exile in India, denies
it while calling for greater autonomy for his Himalayan
homeland.

The Dalai, in Australia on what he called a spiritual not
political tour, earlier said he was hopeful that talks between
his envoys and Chinese officials on the festering Tibet issue
would resume soon, possibly next month.

He met federal Opposition leader Brendan Nelson earlier
this week, as well as Greens leader Bob Brown and is scheduled
to meet Foreign Minister Stephen Smith.

Rudd, who is on a visit to Japan and Indonesia, had said
he would have gladly met the Dalai had he been in Australia.