[Buddha-l] Props for Bush

[Franz Metcalf]

Gang,

It is so rare that I can read a statement by President Bush and not 
cringe, I just had to forward his recent words on HHDL. Plus, it's a 
refreshing change of pace to give the prez some props here on buddha-l. 
The following is the first half of an article appearing at 
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSN1729149020071017

With a surprising amount of metta,

Franz

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Bush urges China to meet with the Dalai Lama
Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:42am EDT

By Paul Eckert, Asia Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush defended on Wednesday 
his plan to appear at an award ceremony for the Dalai Lama in the face 
of Chinese objections and urged Beijing to open talks with the exiled 
Tibetan spiritual leader China views as a separatist.

The Dalai Lama is set to receive the Congressional Gold Medal, the 
country's highest civilian honor, by the U.S. Congress in an award 
China angrily denounced as a "farce" that would hurt relations between 
Beijing and Washington.

Bush, who will attend the ceremony on Capitol Hill in the first public 
appearance by a U.S. president with the Dalai Lama, said he was going 
because he supported religious freedom and admired the Tibetan monk and 
Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

"I have consistently told the Chinese that religious freedom is in 
their nation's interest," he told a news conference hours before the 
ceremony.

"I've also told them that I think it's in their interest to meet with 
the Dalai Lama and will say so at the ceremony today in Congress," he 
said.

"If they were to sit down with the Dalai Lama, they would find him to 
be a man of peace and reconciliation," Bush added.

A smiling Dalai Lama emerged from his White House meeting with Bush on 
Tuesday and shrugged off the Chinese criticism, telling reporters: 
"That always happens."