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China blasts U.S. for Obama’s meeting with Dalai Lama

19 February 2010 03:19 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. China says the United States are violating the international norms and spoils bilateral relations after President Barack Obama met with Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama in Washington, APA reported citing Xinhua news agency.

Beijing has repeatedly warned Obama that in case he decides to meet with the Dalai Lama this month, relations between the countries may deteriorate. However, Obama received Dalai Lama at the White House on February 18.

"The U.S. act grossly violated the norms governing the international relations, and ran counter to the principles set forth in the three China-U.S. joint communiques and the China-U.S. joint statement," the agency quoted Ma Zhaoxu, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, as saying.

The official urged the United States to seriously take into account China’s stance and stop "supporting anti-China separatist forces."

The United States and China have recently not seen eye to eye on a number of international issues, including the Iranian nuclear issue, the $6.4 weapons sales to Taiwan, as well as the Dalai Lama’s status.

The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959, has repeatedly said he seeks autonomy for Tibet rather than independence from China.

Beijing accused the Nobel Peace Prize winner of orchestrating the March 2008 unrest in Tibet, which left 19 people dead and 623 injured, according to official Chinese reports. The Dalai Lama denied the allegations.