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Merkel angers China on Dalai Lama Merkel angers China on Dalai Lama
(about 13 hours later)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is to meet the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on Sunday in talks that have angered China. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has held historic talks with exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in Berlin despite protests from China.
Chinese officials have cancelled planned talks with German counterparts in Munich on legal and patent issues. China had criticised the meeting and, shortly beforehand, cancelled talks with the German justice minister.
Germany says the meeting with the Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising, is a private exchange. Germany said the meeting with the Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising, was a private event.
But China, which governs Tibet, says the meeting is part of the Dalai Lama's agenda for Tibetan independence. But China, which governs Tibet, says the meeting was part of the Dalai Lama's agenda for Tibetan independence.
'Conscious' decision'Conscious' decision
Sunday's meeting will be the first time the Dalai Lama has been received at the chancellery. German officials refused to give details of the "private exchange", which marked the first time the Dalai Lama had been received at the chancellery.
China has already summoned the German ambassador in Beijing to complain. But they said China had cancelled a meeting with German counterparts in Munich on legal and patent issues.
However, German deputy government spokesman Thomas Steg said: "The meeting will take place, the invitation stands, and the chancellor also extended the invitation very consciously." Wherever I go, China protests. The Chinese are simply testing how far they can go The Dalai Lama
The German justice ministry said the legal talks had been cancelled for "technical reasons". China also summoned the German ambassador in Beijing to complain.
The Dalai Lama told the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung that Beijing was showing the "arrogance of power". A German government spokesman, Thomas Steg, said he was confident that the meeting would "not disturb the good state of German-Chinese relations and co-operation".
"Wherever I go, China protests. The Chinese are simply testing how far they can go," the Nobel Peace Prize winner said. In its weekend edition, the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung said that Mrs Merkel had pursued the meeting despite advice to the contrary from senior officials.
The Dalai Lama told the same newspaper: "What I appreciate about Mrs Merkel, is her steady engagement on human rights and religious freedom... Perhaps that is why she wants to see me, in spite of all the pressure from China."
The Nobel Peace Prize winner said he was not seeking independence for Tibet but autonomy. He said Beijing was showing the "arrogance of power".
"Wherever I go, China protests. The Chinese are simply testing how far they can go."