| German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Tibet's | | | | criticized China for its repression of |
| exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, have | | | | religion and human rights abuses in Tibet. |
| held private talks in Berlin over the | | | | |
| objections of China. | | | | Ms. Merkel and the Dalai Lama first met in |
| | | | 2005 when she was Germany's opposition |
| Ms. Merkel's spokesman issued a statement | | | | political leader. But today's meeting was his |
| Sunday saying the chancellor assured the | | | | first with a German head of government. |
| Dalai Lama of her support for his efforts to | | | | |
| preserve Tibet's cultural identity, and for | | | | The Dalai Lama said Saturday in the German |
| his non-violent pursuit of religious and | | | | newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung he does not |
| cultural autonomy. | | | | believe his meeting with Ms. Merkel will have |
| | | | a lasting negative effect on Sino-German |
| The statement said the 72-year-old Dalai Lama | | | | relations. He called China's attitude an |
| emphasized the peaceful, non-violent nature | | | | "arrogance of power," and he accused Beijing |
| of his work, which he said does not include | | | | of meddling in Germany's domestic affairs. |
| Tibet's independence from China. | | | | |
| | | | China on Saturday canceled Sunday's scheduled |
| Today's landmark meeting between Chancellor | | | | meeting with senior German justice ministry |
| Merkel and the Dalai Lama took place over the | | | | officials in Munich for what it called, |
| objections of China, which regularly accuses | | | | "technical reasons." |
| the Buddhist holy man of secretly promoting | | | | |
| Tibetan independence. | | | | Some information for this report provided by |
| | | | AFP, AP and Reuters. |
| Human rights organizations have long | | | | |