Dharamsala, Jan 31 (IANS) Globe-trotting monk the Dalai Lama and US President Barack Obama will be together at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington next week, the second time in less than a year, his aides said here Saturday.
"His Holiness is on a religious tour to the US and will attend the National Prayer Breakfast Feb 5 where the US President will also participate," a senior functionary in the Dalai Lama's office told IANS.
He said so far there is no scheduled meeting between the spiritual leader and the US president.
However, the US has already played down an official engagement between the two.
"As he has done in the past, the president will see many religious leaders at the event, but we don't have any specific meeting with the Dalai Lama to announce," media reports, quoting National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan, said.
Obama has met the Dalai Lama thrice. Every time the meetings prompted sharp reaction from the Chinese government, which views the Nobel Peace laureate as a hostile element who is bent on splitting Tibet from China.
Obama met the Dalai Lama in February last year, saying the US supports his "middle-way" approach of neither assimilation nor independence for Tibetans in China.
The National Prayer Breakfast, an annual event held on the first Thursday of February in its 62nd year, brings together over 3,200 people from all 50 US states and 140 countries.
The Tibetan government-in-exile, based in this Himachal Pradesh town, views the presence of their spiritual leader and the US president at the religious ceremony as occasion to highlight the prevailing "tense" situation in Tibet.
It also believes reiteration of the US stand favouring early resumption of the talks between the Dalai Lama's envoys and the Chinese.
China and the Dalai Lama's envoys have held nine rounds of talks since 2002 to resolve the Tibetan issue. But after the last round of talks - the ninth - held in Beijing in January 2010 the deadlock continues.
The spiritual leader has met all the US presidents since George Bush (1991). He has met Bill Clinton and George W. Bush several times, the Dalai Lama office said.
In 2007, he received the US Congressional Gold Medal, even in the face of protests by China.
The Dalai Lama has lived in India since fleeing his homeland in 1959. The Tibetan administration-in-exile is based in Dharamsala town.
Elections: Elections have begun in Jammu-Kashmir and Haryana, this will be the first election in the valley after the removal of Article 370
The much-awaited elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly have finally been announced, which will be held in three phases. This will be the first assembly election in the state after the removal of
Homecoming in Bengal: 7 days after talking to Modi for 10 minutes, Mukul Roy will return to Mamta, MLA son Shubhanshu will also join TMC
Mukul Roy, who is angry about his stature in the BJP, has finally decided to return to the Trinamool. In a short time, Mukul will join Mamta's party with his son Shubrangshu. The meeting with his didi
Is there a well-planned conspiracy in Bigg Boss, do contestants get scripts? Makers broke silence on the allegations
This time Anil Kapoor has become the host of Bigg Boss OTT Season 3, while Ranveer Shorey has become a part of it as a contestant. Only time will tell how much Ranveer gets the benefit of coming on
COP-26 Climate Summit: PM Modi said, no one is untouched by the threat of climate change
In the ongoing CAP-26 Climate Summit in Glasgow, PM Modi said that the launch of 'Infrastructure for Resilient Island States' gives new hope, gives new confidence. It gives the satisfaction of doing
Delhi NCR Weather: Strong entry of monsoon, heavy rains in Delhi NCR, roads become ponds; traffic jam
Today's Weather Delhi NCR Rain News: There is news of rain in many areas of Delhi since this morning. Whereas in Ghaziabad and Noida it is raining with strong wind. People have also got relief from
Iran raises Shia-Sunni point of view in attack on a mosque in Afghanistan
Iran has strongly condemned the blast during Friday prayers at a Shia mosque in the Afghan city of Kandahar.
Who is the President: Obama dominated the White House party, calling Biden the Vice President; US President wandering alone
It has been almost 15 months since Joe Biden became the US President. He is from the same Democrat party with which his former boss Barack Obama was. It's also been five years since Obama left the
Shah Rukh Khan: Guddu Dhanoa's big revelation, Shahrukh had refused Deewana, then agreed like this
Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan is in the news these days about his recently released film 'Jawaan'. This film of King Khan is breaking earning records at the box office. Shahrukh entered Bollywood
Threats regarding remarks on Prophet: Al Qaeda wrote in the letter – Will carry out suicide attacks in Delhi, Mumbai, UP and Gujarat
Now the terrorist organization Al Qaeda has also jumped into the matter of remarks on Prophet Mohammed. Al Qaeda in the Subcontinent (AQIS) has issued a letter threatening India. The letter has
Onion Rates: Angry farmers stopped selling due to low prices in Asia's largest onion market, demanded this from the government
Frustrated with the continuous falling prices of onions, the farmers have stopped the sale of onions in the mandi. Angry farmers in Maharashtra's Lasalgaon Agricultural Produce Market Committee have
