Chinese Ambassador
Admits Asking Costa Rica
Not To Allow Dalai Lama
Visit
The government of China
has admitted that it has
asked countries with
friendly ties to it not
accept the visit of the
Dalai Lama, like it
occurred in Costa Rica.
"We are against the
Dalai Lama realizing
international political
activities around the
world. For such we
always ask those
governments where the
Dalai Lama will visit",
said China's ambassador
to Costa Rica, Wang
Xiaoyuank, to the daily
La Nación.
The Chinese ambassador
added that the Tibetan
spiritual leader is not
only a religious person
but a political one as
well and is always
spearheading campaigns
to separate Tibet from
China.
The Dalai Lama, winner
of the Nobel Peace
Prize, was to have
visited Costa Rica on
September 10 on an
invitation by the
Asociación Cultural
Tibetano-Costarricense.
The Dalai Lama cancelled
his visit at the
suggestion of Costa
Rican president and
fellow Nobel Peace Prize
winner, Oscar Arias,
suggesting the trip be
postponed for next year
when a meeting of Nobel
Prize winners will be
held in Costa Rica.
Arias drew criticism at
the request amid
allegations that the
decision was in
preference of the visit
of the Chinese
president, Hu Jintao, in
October.
Arias denied the
accusation.
The president, in
defending his request to
the Dalai Lama, told the
La Nación that he would
have wanted the meeting
of the Nobel Prize
winners in September,
but unfortunately the
finances were not in
place and the meeting
will be held next year.
According to Maritza
Pacheco, president of
the Asociación Cultural
Tibetano-Costarricense,
assures that Arias
called her by telephone
on August 22 to ask her
to cancel the invitation
to the Tibetan leader.
"What he said to me
exactly was that if the
Dalai Lama comes, Hu
will not come and that
is not convenient for
Costa Rica at this
time", said Maritza.
Costa Rica established
diplomatic relations
with China in June of
2007, abruptly cutting
all diplomatic ties with
the government of
Taiwan.
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