Obama Postpones Meeting..........

The Dalai Lama waves as he arrives at his hotel in Washington October 5, 2009. U.S. President Barack Obama will not meet with the Dalai Lama during his weeklong visit to Washington.
Obama must balance his efforts to develop ties with China with his desire to support the Dalai Lama. He also needs to overcome harsh criticism by those who feel his administration is not doing enough to push Beijing to better address human rights complaints.

Those who advocate for Tibet see the Dalai Lama's White House visits as important messages of support for Tibetans and others struggling for human rights. A White House audience for the Nobel Peace laureate this week, however, would have cast a shadow over Obama's talks with Hu next month. Obama recognizes that how he treats the Dalai Lama will be watched closely, by Beijing, by U.S. lawmakers, voters, and by other world leaders who have been castigated by China for meeting with the Dalai Lama.
China says Tibet has been part of its territory for four centuries. It has aggressively governed the Himalayan region since communist troops took control there in 1951. Many Tibetans claim they were effectively independent for most of their history and say Chinese rule and economic exploitation are eroding their traditional Buddhist culture.