02 April 2008
EU will invite Dalai Lama for talks
(AFP) The EU will invite the Dalai Lama for talks in Brussels, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said, after EU foreign ministers called for "substantive and constructive dialogue" between China and the Dalai Lama. The 27 EU foreign ministers will invite the Dalai Lama once a decision has been made by the Slovenian EU presidency, which is expected shortly, Kouchner said. "As the Dalai Lama does not ask for a boycott [of the Olympic Games in Beijing] nor Tibet's independence it is time to go back [to dialogue]", he added. Chinese state media said China voiced "strong dissatisfaction" after the EU foreign ministers' statement. "The Tibet issue is completely China's internal affair. No foreign countries or international organisations have the right to interfere in it", said foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu, according to Xinhua.