President expected to mute message on democracy, human rights
By Peter Baker and Glenn Kessler
In the privacy of the Yellow Oval Room in the White House residence overlooking the Washington Monument one day last week, President Bush hosted one of China’s archenemies. The Dalai Lama gave him a white scarf called a khata as a token of respect. Bush served tea and sipped from a glass of water. They talked about the continuing plight of Tibet.
But the visit was not put on the president’s advance public schedule. No journalists were invited in to record the moment, as at the end of many Bush meetings. The president made no public comments about Tibet. The White House released an official photograph but did not post it on the home page of its Web site along with the other events of his day.
The delicate diplomatic dance illustrated Bush’s complex relationship with China as he leaves tomorrow on his first trip to Asia since reelection. Meeting with the spiritual leader of the repressed Tibetan people just before heading to Beijing was intended to send a signal about Bush’s commitment to human rights in the world’s most populous country. Yet the effort to keep the session essentially out of public view was intended to avoid insulting to his soon-to-be hosts.
