"A new meeting with the Buddhist spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, would be the best present that the Russian leadership could give the Kalmyk people in the significant year of the 400th anniversary of the voluntary accession [of Kalmykia] to Russia," Telo Tulku Rinpoche, the Kalmyk Supreme Lama, said in a letter whose text was released by the Golden Abode of the Buddha Shakyamuni temple.

Telo Tulku Rinpoche said a letter had gone to the Russian Foreign Ministry also asking for a visa for the Dalai Lama.

"We sincerely hope for your support for a positive decision on this important matter," the Kalmyk Supreme Lama said.