Austrian chancellor
meets with Dalai Lama
The Associated Press
Published: September 20, 2007
VIENNA, Austria: Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer met with the Dalai Lama on Thursday, a spokesman said, drawing a protest from the Chinese Embassy.
The early morning meeting took place in the chancellory and lasted about 45 minutes, spokesman Sven Pusswald said.
The Dalai Lama, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, fled Tibet for India in 1959 during a failed uprising against Chinese rule. He remains highly popular among Tibetans, despite persistent efforts to undermine him by Chinese authorities.
Austrian media reported that the Chinese Embassy protested the meeting.
In broadcast remarks
after the meeting, Gusenbauer described relations between Austria and China
as "very good" and said Austria was a "place of dialogue."