Dalai Lama can visit Moscow in July

The spiritual leader of the Buddhists of the Dalai-Lama XIV may take part in the World Summit of religious figures in Moscow, today Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, President of Kalmykia.

"On July 4 of this year, the World Summit of Religious Leaders in Moscow will be held. As far as I know, the organizers are going to invite his Holiness Dalai Lama to take part in the summit of religious leaders," K. Ilyumzhinov said at the press conference that was today in the central office of the Interfax agency.

When asked whether China will object to the Dalai Lama visit to Moscow, K. Ilyumzhinov replied: "This is not a question for me."

The Dalai Lama was expected in Kalmykia at the end of December 2005 at the opening of a Buddhist temple with a 11-meter gold statue of the Buddha , but for a number of reasons this visit did not take place.

The last time Dalai Lama came to Russia on November 29 - December 1, 2004. During that trip, he visited the capital of Kalmykia Elista, where he consecrated the construction site of the largest Buddhist church. The Dalai Lama did not have official meetings, his trip was exclusively pastoral in nature.

The previous, also unofficial trip of the Dalai Lama to Russia took place in 1992. Then he visited Buryatia and headed the service in the Ivolginsky datsan.