Sarkozy meeting with Dalai Lama to go ahead

Wed Nov 26, 2008 8:59am EST
 
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PARIS (Reuters) - President Nicolas Sarkozy will not put off a meeting with the Dalai Lama in Poland next month despite Beijing's displeasure over the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader's contacts with European leaders, the French government spokesman said on Wednesday.

Earlier, the French EU presidency said China had postponed a summit with the European Union scheduled for next Monday due to plans for the Dalai Lama to visit European leaders and institutions.

French government spokesman Luc Chatel said Sarkozy was "free to decide his own agenda" and would meet the Dalai Lama at a ceremony with Nobel Peace Prize winners in Poland in December.

(Reporting by Emmanuel Jarry; writing by James Mackenzie)

 

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