Realising Cantabrians could do with a moral boost the
Dalai Lama altered his schedule
and fitted in a talk in Christchurch before his Australian tour. The Canterbury Arena was packed for the event.
The only
sour note was from the Chinese Embassy
, which approached our government after they heard about the visit. Presumably, as they have in the past, they were discouraging any Ministerial meetings with the Dalai Lama.
In Canberra the Dalai Lama will be meeting Green Party leader Bob Brown and Opposition leader Tony Abbott, but the media today says a
meeting with Julia Gilliard is “unlikely”
. Is Chinese pressure behind this?