Dharamsala, April 5: Russian Buddhists are reportedly hoping that the country’s Foreign Ministry will give His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet permission to come to Russia this year.
“Millions of Russian Buddhists are looking forward to the Dalai Lama’s visit and a decision should be made on this matter,” Interfax quoted Mikhail Kapura, who represents the Republic of Kalmykia in the Federation Council, as saying.
The senators representing Russia’s Buddhist regions sent a letter to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last week asking about the possibility of issuing a Russian visa to the Dalai Lama, Interfax said.
“We are talking about a pastoral visit, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama would like to visit Kalmykia, Buryatia, and Tuva, where Buddhists traditionally live,” Kapura said
Kapura recalled that the last time the Dalai Lama visited Russia was in 2004. “People in Kalmykia still remember this visit,” he said.
“Beijing’s position on the Dalai Lama’s visit is very tough and clear, and it is obvious that Russia cannot help but take this into account,” Kapura said.
China is Russia’s one of the main partners in politics and economics.
“Obviously, we will have to wait. However, as far as we see from meetings in the Foreign Ministry, there is hope for such a visit in Russia, and that’s an obvious fact that we cannot help but be happy about,” the senator said.
The Chinese partners have set several conditions for the Dalai Lama’s visit, including a resolution on the differences that currently exist between China and the Dalai Lama and on the issue of status of Tibet, he said.
The recent visit by the Dalai Lama to the U.S. drew a very tough reaction from Beijing, he said.
In December 2008, apparent Chinese pressure forced the Russian government to disrupt a rare unofficial visit by a Russian delegation to Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan Government-in-exile in northern India.
Nevertheless, the people of Kalmykia are still hoping to see the Dalai Lama this year, Kapura said
For Kalmyk, Buryat and Tuva Buddhists, the Dalai Lama not only represents one of the world’s most inspiring figures and a revered exiled Tibetan leader, he is their most supreme spiritual leader.
In 2006, amidst grand cultural show by artistes from the three Buddhist republics, the Republic of Kalmykia presented Dalai Lama the “White Lotus Order”, the highest civilian award of the country, in recognition of the Tibetan leader’s “outstanding merits and considerable contribution for the prosperity and the revival of spirituality” in the region.
