Dharamsala, India -- The Chinese government “routinely warns serious repercussions” against all those who meet with the Dalai Lama, but this “does not stop our leaders work: his meeting with Benedict XVI makes us very happy and encourages us for our future”.

This was the reaction of Samdhong Rinpoche, Kalon Tripa [head of the Central Administration of Tibet, in exile in India] to AsiaNews, commenting on the threats made by the Chinese Foreign Minister in view of the upcoming meeting between the Pope and the Dalai Lama, set for December 13th.

When the Buddhist leader went to America continues Rinpoche, “Every foreign embassy, received  personal letters from the People’s Republic of China’s Ambassador in Washington,

stating that if they went to the gold medal function, there would be repercussions in ‘our relationship’, yet every  one attended. The same happened in Germany and Canada”.

Despite this continues the exiled political leader, “the meeting with the Pope is on another level: the Dalai Lama respects all religious leaders, and all of the worlds religions, and Benedict XVI is one of the most important religious leaders in the world.  Moreover the Catholic Church always speaks in favour of religious freedom and human rights”.

Thus this meeting “is extremely important, special and significant. It will send out a positive sign to world leaders, religious heads and also to every worker of Religious Freedom and Human Rights in the entire the international community”.