MBEKI SHOULD MEET DALAI LAMA: TUTU

ARCHBISHOP Desmond Tutu said on Thursday he is disappointed President Thabo Mbeki has decided against a one-on-one meeting with the Dalai Lama when he visits South Africa early next month. Mbeki won’t be meeting Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader because of pressure from the Chinese government. Former Chinese premier Li Peng and his delegation had raised the issue during their visit last week. The Chinese delegation apparently briefed Mbeki about it and told him they didn’t want him to see the Dalai Lama. “The reality is that China cannot be ignored in today’s world. It is powerful and has huge possibilities of markets for South Africa,” a spokesman from Mbeki’s office said.