INDIA: Tibetans hold special prayers for the success of Dalai Lama and Barack Obama meet

Record ID: 1374297

  • Title: INDIA: Tibetans hold special prayers for the success of Dalai Lama and Barack Obama meet
  • Date: 18th February 2010
  • Summary: DHARAMSALA, HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA (FEBRUARY 17, 2010) (ANI) BUDDHIST MONKS SITTING IN A ROW BUDDHIST MONKS CHANTING HYMNS MONKS PRAYING A MONK MATERIAL REQUIRED FOR PRAYING MONKS SITTING MONKS PERFORMING RITUALS (SOUNDBITE) (English) NORBU TSERING, A TIBETAN BUIDDHIST MONK, SAYING: "We expect a good conclusion and we are praying for it. And since it is a first trip and meeting with the Obama, so we are expecting a good result." A MONK PERFORMING RITUALS PAINTING OF LORD BUDDHA MONKS HOLDING BELLS IN HANDS MONKS PERFORMING HOLY CEREMONY
  • Embargoed: 5th March 2010 00:35
  • Keywords:
  • Location: India
  • Country: India
  • Topics: International Relations,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA9SXNA2N1F6XUNZH17NEUE6629
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Tibetan Buddhist monks residing in Dharamsala of Himachal Pradesh state of north India offered special prayers on Tuesday (February 17).
    These exclusive prayers were dedicated to a productive meeting between their spiritual leader Dalai Lama and Barack Obama, President of the United States of America.
    The Dalai Lama departed from the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi on Wednesday morning by a special chartered flight.
    About 30 Buddhist monks offered prayers and performed sacred rituals at the famous Tsugalgkhang Monastery in Dharamsala ahead of the meeting between the two men in Washington on Thursday.
    "We expect a good conclusion and we are praying for it. And since it is a first trip meeting with the Obama, so we are expecting a good result," said Norbu Tsering, a Tibetan monk.
    The Tibetan monks say they are optimistic and eagerly awaiting a positive outcome from this meeting between their spiritual leader and the US President.
    China has become increasingly vocal in opposing meetings between foreign leaders and the Dalai Lama, who Beijing deems a dangerous separatist.
    Obama's meeting with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader is likely to set off a new round of sniping from Beijing, which has seen tensions with Washington rise over issues ranging from trade to currency to planned US arms sales to Taiwan.
    Obama told China's leaders during a visit to Beijing in November last year of his intention to meet the Dalai Lama, and the US administration had made clear in recent days that it would shrug off Chinese opposition and go ahead with the talks.
    The previous US President George W Bush met the Dalai Lama, drawing angry words from Beijing but this did not result in substantive reprisals.
    The Dalai Lama has said he wants a high level of genuine autonomy for his homeland, which he fled in 1959. China says his demands amount to calling for outright independence.
    Beijing blames the spiritual leader for violent unrest that broke out in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa and across other Tibetan areas in March 2008, ahead of the Beijing Olympics.
    China recently hosted talks with envoys of the Dalai Lama but those meetings achieved little.
    Washington has said it accepts Tibet is a part of China, but wants Beijing to sit down with the Dalai Lama to address differences over the region's future.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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