Dalai Lama is India's honoured guest: Krishna

Reacting to reports that China has taken up the issue of Dalai Lama's recent meeting with PM Manmohan Singh, foreign minister S M Krishna said on Saturday that the spiritual leader was India's honoured guest. He, however, added that the Tibetan Autonomous Region was a part of China and that this should put an end to any Chinese concern.
Asked at a joint press conference with Japanese foreign minister Katsuya Okada about reports of the Chinese protest, Krishna said he had told the Chinese foreign minister earlier that the Dalai Lama was a spiritual leader with millions of followers in the country.
"The Indian position has been stated many times. It is unequivocal and categorical. The Dalai Lama is an honoured guest in India, is a spiritual leader and is held as such by millions of Indians," said Krishna.
"We do not encourage anyone to get into politics or any other activity that could affect relations between the two countries," he added.
The foreign minister went on to say that India does not encourage anyone to get into political activities which would "concern the relationship between the two countries".
"The Tibetan Autonomous Region is part of the Chinese republic. I think that should bring down the curtain on any controversy," he said.
The Dalai Lama had called on Manmohan Singh on August 11 in what was the first meeting between two since the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) returned to power over a year ago.
The Chinese government has reportedly conveyed its objection over the meeting through its diplomats in Delhi. Indian officials, however, said there was nothing unusual about it as such meetings have taken place in the past as well. Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao too had recently visited Dharamshala to meet the Dalai Lama.