| Buddhists broke the "Chinese wall" of Russian diplomacy The spiritual leader of Buddhists, the 14th Dalai Lama, was issued a visa to enter Russia. This was announced yesterday by the preacher's spokesman Tenzin Takla. According to him, the Dalai Lama’s visit to our country, or rather to Kalmykia, where one and a half million believers have been waiting for him for many years, could begin any day now. According to the official statement, the trip program, in addition to a personal meeting with the President of the Republic, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, also includes the consecration ceremony of the Elista Khural “Syakusn Sume”. However, Tenzin Takla noted that the possibility of canceling the visit cannot yet be completely ruled out. He also said that "the delegation consists of eight people, including the preacher himself, among whom there is not a single official or representative of the Tibetan government in exile."
The Buddhist leader has been trying to enter Russia since the mid-90s of the last century. However, until recently, the authorities of our country refused him an entry visa three times. Apparently, Russian officials and diplomats were afraid of a political scandal that could result from the arrival of a representative of one of the most peaceful religions in our country. The appearance of the spiritual father of Buddhists in Kalmykia or other Russian regions could cause a sharply negative reaction from China, which considers Tibet, led by the Dalai Lama, to be its integral part, and regards the international activities of its leader, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, solely as separatism. Russian Foreign Ministry officials have repeatedly explained refusals of visas by the national interests of Russia. The official responses to the Buddhist leader indicated that our country “must strictly comply with international obligations,” which are outlined in the Russian-Chinese Treaty of Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation. And even support each other’s policies on issues of territorial integrity.
Neither the intercession of influential regional politicians (the President of the Republic of Kalmykia Kirsan Ilyumzhinov invited the Dalai Lama) nor the petitions of famous foreign public figures helped Russian diplomacy to break through this “Chinese wall.” In order to prove to the Russian authorities that his trip was apolitical, the Dalai Lama also had to send a letter to the country's President Vladimir Putin, in which the preacher promised to refrain from political statements. In addition, in a recent interview, the Buddhist spiritual leader stated that “Tibet, as an integral part of China, will be able to gain more benefits than if it became independent.”
Perhaps it was these words that became the turning point. In any case, in Beijing they were heard perfectly and most of the objections regarding the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama to Kalmykia were removed. After which the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry announced their readiness to issue him a visa. True, the Russian foreign policy department agreed to this step with reservations. In particular, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that a visa can be issued to the Dalai Lama only if his visit is for exclusively religious purposes.
In fact, ordinary Buddhists from Russia do not expect anything else from their leader, as they have already stated more than once. For example, the head of the Buddhist traditional sangha, Pandito Khambo Lama Damba Ayusheev, claims that “for Russian followers of the Buddha’s teachings, the visit of a spiritual leader is important precisely as a pastoral trip.” “We hope that we will have the opportunity to host the Dalai Lama on our soil so that the flock can hear the teachings of the Buddha from their spiritual leader,” he said. True, the President of Kalmykia, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, whose portraits side by side with the Dalai Lama are hung throughout the capital of the republic, Elista, may have political goals. But this is unlikely to cause concern or protest in China. Anna ShPAK |
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