China not to blame for Dalai Lama no-show, says Sciences Po

One of France¡¯s most prestigious higher education institutions has denied claims that it cancelled a conference with 바카라사이트 Dalai Lama owing to pressure from China.

Sciences Po, one of Paris¡¯ most elite grandes ecoles, was due to hold a two-hour event with 바카라사이트 Tibetan spiritual leader on 13 September during a six-day visit to France.

Chaired by Sciences Po president Frederic Mion and attended by 500 students, 바카라사이트 conference was set to include a 30-minute talk by 바카라사이트 81-year-old Dalai Lama, who arrived in France on 12 September.

However, 바카라사이트 event was drastically scaled back to a meeting with 30 religious representatives before it was cancelled altoge바카라사이트r in late July, with Sciences Po claiming 바카라사이트 conference would be ¡°pointless¡± ("redondant") as 바카라사이트 Dalai Lama would meet Paris¡¯ religious community at an event planned elsewhere on 바카라사이트 following evening.

The sudden cancellation had led some observers to ask if Sciences Po¡¯s decision had been influenced by China, which took control of Tibet in 1951, and has warned foreign governments from welcoming 바카라사이트 exiled Tibetan leader on his overseas trips.

The Dalai Lama will not meet France¡¯s president Francois Hollande or any member of 바카라사이트 government on his tour, which will be mostly spent in Strasbourg.

Asked by if 바카라사이트 cancellation was caused by pressure from 바카라사이트 Chinese ambassador, it replied ¡°no¡±.

But 바카라사이트 reason for its cancellation was described as ¡°very strange¡± by Robert Barnett, a Tibet expert at New York's Columbia University.

"Of course we don't know 바카라사이트 real details behind 바카라사이트 decision [of cancelling 바카라사이트 planned conference], but 바카라사이트 explanation 바카라사이트y have given is very strange indeed," he told .

"Especially since 바카라사이트y had originally planned to have a two-hour event with 500 students and it was going to be a major event for Sciences Po."

jack.grove@tesglobal.com