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ont.general |
> > > > Even George W makes no
> > > > bones about personally welcoming the DL when he's stateside.
> > > > -JD
> > > A good employer should always give encouragement to his employees.
> > > Based on a report carried in the New York Times in August 1999
> > > During the 15 years between 1979 and 1994 the Dalai Lama visited the
> > > U.S. Once every two to three years, but from 1994 the number of his
> > > visit to the United States became once a year, twice in 1997, and
> > > three times in 1999. And since former U.S. President George Bush met
> > > with the Dalai Lama during his U.S. Trip in April 1991, U.S. President
> > > and vice- president convened with him every time when he came to the
> > > United States.
> > > Few, if any, heads of states receive such treatment.
> > > Imagine twice a year received by BOTH the president and vice
> > > president!
> > > No other nobel prize winner got such treatment.
> > > Where was that miserable guy from E Timor. He also won the Nobel prize
> > > didn't he. Not many people remember his name! Don't think he get to
> > > seep tea with Mr and Mrs Bush.
> > > It's so obvious that Dalai Lama is being promoted by the US for its
> > > own geo-strategic interest.
> > > Ever since 911 I have not read about Dalai vist to white house.
> > > US needed China to shut up in the Iraq invasion.
> > > The Dalai must be missing the Beacon Theatre where wealthy individuals
> > > could pay up to $1,000 a ticket to hear him speak. ( That's great way
> > > for money laundering)
> > Yu are crazy. Anyone with a grain of sense, as well as some
investigative
> > skills, can see that.
> What do you really see? Based on what?
OTTAWA | April 2, 2004 - You wouldn't think anyone would pass up the
chance to meet a Nobel Peace Prize winner - especially if he's one of the
most respected religious leaders on earth. I'm talking about his holiness
the 14th Dalai Lama.
He's coming to Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa this April. He'll give speeches
and do typical official-visit stuff: Shake hands, give photo ops ...
But he won't meet many Canadian officials. They're afraid of him.
Although the Dalai Lama will be welcomed by universities and community
groups in all three cities, no city, provincial or federal official has
agreed to meet him. Even Prime Minister Paul Martin hasn't committed to
meeting the Buddhist leader.
The Dalai Lama fled Tibet in the 1950s after a failed uprising against
China. Since then, he has been working to negotiate Tibet's independence.
This is what scares some leaders away from him. They don't want to do
anything to alienate China - and jeopardize their chance to do business with
one billion Chinese people.
"The issue of Tibet is a sensitive one for the Canadian government, which
has a lot of interest in China," says Tenzin Dargyal, of the Canada-Tibet
Committee, which is bringing the Dalai Lama to Canada.
If Martin is worried that meeting the Dalai Lama will offend China, why did
U.S. President George W. Bush meet with the Buddhist leader? And British
Prime Minister Tony Blair?
In Blair's case, he used a clever loophole. The Dalai Lama, in addition to
being a political activist, is one of the world's most famous spiritual
leaders. And, of course, with the religious leader's message of peace and
non-violence, why wouldn't Blair want to meet him?
Why not indeed? This is not to say the Dalai Lama doesn't have a Canadian
political ear.
"Parliamentarians do want to meet with him," Dargyal says. He says that more
than half of the members of Parliament support the idea of Canada overseeing
the negotiations between Tibet and China.
But although they have expressed their support, Dargyal says, no one has
come forward yet to request a meeting with the Tibetan leader.
"He's never met a Prime Minister (of Canada) and this is his fourth visit,"
Dargyal says.
So, to help cut through all of this, I'd like to offer my diplomatic
services to Mr. Martin. I'd be happy to meet with the Dalai Lama when he
comes to town. I'd jump at the chance to meet someone who is, as Dargyal
says "one of the most respected human beings on the planet."
What's not to like? He's a wise and holy man, a Buddhist monk who advocates
non-violent reform for his home country.
If Bush can meet with him, why can't we? The United States has a much bigger
trade interest in China than Canada does. U.S.-China trade didn't slow down
for a second after Bush met the Dalai Lama.
We're not talking about Osama bin Laden. We're talking about a Nobel Prize
winner. A Nobel Peace Prize winner. Meeting with him will not brand you a
Buddhist sympathizer.
So why not let me show the Dalai Lama a good time when he's in Ottawa. I
promise to be on my best behaviour. If you agree, just give me a couple days
notice so I can practise my rendition of "When Irish Eyes are Smiling."
By Noel Waghorn
Capital News Online - OPINION