The meeting comes amid tension in US-Sino relations, with disputes simmering over US arms sales to Taiwan, claims of Chinese cyber-spying and trade deals.
China, which views the Dalai Lama as a separatist, has warned the meeting will undermine relations.
The US, while moving carefully on the issue, dismissed the fears as needless.
On his arrival in Washington on Wednesday, the Dalai Lama headed to a hotel for a ceremony to mark the Losar new year with fellow Tibetans.
The Dalai Lama's special envoy, Lodi Gayari, said that it was "important in itself that the meeting is happening".
He said that the Dalai Lama would be asking the US president to "help find a solution in resolving the Tibet issue that would be mutually beneficial to the Tibetan and Chinese people."
Sensitive issues
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs last week defended the decision to receive the Dalai Lama, saying he was "an internationally respected religious leader".
He said the Sino-US relationship was mature enough to disagree while finding common ground on international issues.
Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8520542.stm
China, which views the Dalai Lama as a separatist, has warned the meeting will undermine relations.
The US, while moving carefully on the issue, dismissed the fears as needless.
On his arrival in Washington on Wednesday, the Dalai Lama headed to a hotel for a ceremony to mark the Losar new year with fellow Tibetans.
The Dalai Lama's special envoy, Lodi Gayari, said that it was "important in itself that the meeting is happening".
He said that the Dalai Lama would be asking the US president to "help find a solution in resolving the Tibet issue that would be mutually beneficial to the Tibetan and Chinese people."
Sensitive issues
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs last week defended the decision to receive the Dalai Lama, saying he was "an internationally respected religious leader".
He said the Sino-US relationship was mature enough to disagree while finding common ground on international issues.
Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8520542.stm
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