Obama to meet Dalai Lama on Friday

Washington, Feb 21: US President

is scheduled to meet the Tibet's spritual leader

on Friday morning at the White House.

[Read: China urges USA to scrap talks with Dalai Lama]

The White House made the announcement on Thursday while releasing Obama's daily schedule, adding the meeting would be closed to press, reported Xinhua. Friday's meeting is likely to draw protests from Beijing, say sources. In the past, China has accused Dalai Lama of being a separatist and has blamed him for instigating self-immolations by Tibetans in China.

The morning meeting between Obama and Lama will take place in the White House's map room. Usually, when Obama meets VIPs, he hosts them in the Oval Office. The decision to hold the meeting in maproom and to avoid press from covering the event is an attempt to avoid protests from China.

It will be the third time that Obama meets the Dalai Lama. Their previous meetings in February 2010 and July 2011, respectively, drew strong protests from China.

IANS