As per the reports published by a leading daily, the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has declined to meet the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama at the 10 Downing street in order to avoid altercation with China. Dalai Lama, instead, will be received by the British PM at the Lambeth Palace, which is the home of the Archbishop of Canterbury. By doing this, the British PM can claim before the Chinese that the Dalai Lama was welcomed by the British government in a spiritual rather than political capacity.

 

This decision, however, has met with sharp criticism from several dignitaries like William Hague, the shadow Foreign Secretary and Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Liberal Democrat leader. Even the disheartened supporters of the Dalai Lama have asked PM Gordon Brown in writing to reconsider this decision. But it was once again reiterated by Downing Street that the meeting with the Dalai Lama will not be held at No 10 Downing Street.