November 24, 1999
Web posted at: 6:35 p.m. EST (2335 GMT)

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- The speaker of Israel's parliament gave the Dalai Lama a warm welcome Wednesday in Jerusalem, despite heavy pressure from China and his own government not to see the Tibetan spiritual leader.

The Israeli government was fearful that a meeting between its independent minded parliament speaker, Avraham Burg, and the Dalai Lama would jeopardize Israel's burgeoning relations with China, whose troops have occupied Tibet since 1950.

Burg, who called the Dalai Lama a great human being and a spiritual mentor, argued that since Israel was once shunned by much of the international community, it should now be confident enough to base its policies on what it considers right.

"It is a most important thing for Israel not to just consider its here and now limited interest," Burg said.

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CNN's Jerrold Kessel reports on the Dahli Lama's visit to Israel Windows Media 28K 80K

China has loudly protested the visit to Israel by the exiled Tibetan leader. The Dalai Lama leads Tibet's government-in-exile from India. But he said his five-day trip to Israel to attend an interfaith conference was religious, not political.

"I always do not want to create any embarrassment for anybody," he said.

The Dalai Lama's visit came just a day before Li Peng, second in the Chinese Communist Party hierarchy, is to meet with Burg and Foreign Minister David Levy.

Burg said the Dalai Lama's visit would not hurt Israel's relations with China, but would send a message that foreign policy should be based on humanitarian as well as strategic interests.

"We should look at our commercial, cultural, educational and value system exchanges with China on one hand, and on the other hand we should develop our diplomatic and international value system with recognized people like the Dalai Lama," Burg said.

But Chinese Ambassador to Israel Wang Changyi and some Israeli Cabinet ministers have warned Burg that meeting the Dalai Lama could hurt Israel's now flourishing ties with China, especially lucrative defense contracts.

Israel recently announced that it had sold China a $250 million radar system, though China has denied the deal took place.

Israeli officials have avoided formal meetings with the Dalai Lama on previous visits, though Israel's Education Minister Yossi Sarid also met him Wednesday, praising his efforts for peace.

The Dalai Lama was to leave Israel on Wednesday night.

Correspondent Jerrold Kessel and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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