Bush Urges Dialogue Between Dalai Lama, Beijing

Bush Urges Dialogue on Tibet Between Dalai Lama, Beijing

(White House press secretary's May 23 statement)

In a May 23 meeting with the Dalai Lama, President Bush said he would "seek ways to encourage dialogue" between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama or his representatives, according to a White House press statement.

The president also "reiterated the strong commitment of the United States to support the preservation of Tibet's unique religious, cultural, and linguistic identity and the protection of the human rights of all Tibetans," the statement says.

Following is the text of the statement:

(begin text)

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY ON THE MEETING WITH THE DALAI LAMA

THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary

May 23, 2001

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

Meeting with the Dalai Lama

His Holiness, the XIV Dalai Lama, met at the White House this morning with the President and the National Security Advisor to discuss Tibet. The President commended the Dalai Lama's commitment to nonviolence and declared his strong support for the Dalai Lama's tireless efforts to initiate a dialogue with the Chinese government. The President said he would seek ways to encourage dialogue and expressed his hope that the Chinese government would respond favorably. The President also reiterated the strong commitment of the United States to support the preservation of Tibet's unique religious, cultural, and linguistic identity and the protection of the human rights of all Tibetans. The President and the Dalai Lama agreed on the importance of strong and constructive U.S.-China relations.

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(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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