President George W. Bush holds a press conference Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.US President when questioned, "Why are you going to attend the Congressional Award Ceremony for the Dalai Lama today ?", answers "So my visit today is not new to the Chinese leadership. As I told you, I brought it up with him. I wanted to make sure he understood exactly why I was going. And they didn't like it, of course, but I don't think it's going to damage -- severely damage relations. Matter of fact, I don't think it ever damages relations when the American President talks about religious tolerance and religious freedom is good for a nation. I do this every time I meet with him."
I am copy pasting below, answers of President Bush to questions specifically relevant to Dalai Lama and the Chinese concerns, courtesy WhiteHouse.Govt, for you all, who may find it important !
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Q Why you are going to attend the Congressional Award Ceremony for the Dalai Lama today --
THE PRESIDENT:Why -- when am I, or why am I?
Q Why are you going to, when China has expressed outrage about it? And what, if any, potential damage do you see to U.S.-China relations, considering that you need their support in dealing with Iran and North Korean nuclear issues?
THE PRESIDENT: One, I admire the Dalai Lama a lot. Two, I support religious freedom; he supports religious freedom. Thirdly, I like going to the Gold Medal ceremonies. I think it's a good thing for the President to do, to recognize those who Congress has honored. And I'm looking forward to going.
I told the Chinese President, President Hu that I was going to go to the ceremony. In other words, I brought it up. And I said I'm going because I want to honor this man. I have consistently told the Chinese that religious freedom is in their nation's interest. I've also told them that I think it's in their interest to meet with the Dalai Lama, and will say so at the ceremony today in Congress. If they were to sit down with the Dalai Lama they would find him to be a man of peace and reconciliation. And I think it's in the country's interest to allow him to come to China and meet with him.
So my visit today is not new to the Chinese leadership. As I told you, I brought it up with him. I wanted to make sure he understood exactly why I was going. And they didn't like it, of course, but I don't think it's going to damage -- severely damage relations. Matter of fact, I don't think it ever damages relations when the American President talks about religious tolerance and religious freedom is good for a nation. I do this every time I meet with him............................
.................Listen, thank you all for your time. I enjoyed it.
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Relevant Links.........
China demands U.S cancel honor to Dalai Lama
DALAI LAMA Conferred.....US Congress' Highest Civilian Honor
