FOSTER KLUG
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON – The Dalai Lama’s meeting with President Barack Obama will be more about style than substance.
What the Dalai Lama and Obama say to each other will matter less than how the White House portrays the meeting Thursday, as Obama welcomes the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet’s Buddhists in a visit that has infuriated China.
Chinese officials will be watching closely to see how great a stage Obama offers to his fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureate, a man Beijing accuses of being a separatist. The Chinese want to know: How long will the meeting last? Will Obama’s wife attend? Will the White House put out a written statement or answer questions about the visit at daily press briefings? Will cameras be allowed to film any part of the encounter?