Alex Salmond has been coming under mounting pressure to meet the Dalai Lama during his visit to Scotland.
The Liberal Democrats claimed the First Minister would be ”pandering” to China if he fails to meet the Tibetan spiritual leader during his tour of Dundee, Edinburgh and Inverness this week.
The claim came after The Courier revealed Scottish supporters of the Dalai Lama are unhappy that no arrangements have been made for the two men to meet.
It is understood organisers of the Scottish visit initially expected the First Minister would attend an event hosted by Presiding Officer Tricia Marwick at the Scottish Parliament on Friday. But it later emerged Mr Salmond is to miss the Holyrood reception, and instead take part in a meeting of the British Irish Council scheduled for the same day.
Mr Salmond is to spend the early part of this week on a trade mission to the USA the timing of which was branded ”very convenient” by a source close to the organisers of the Dalai Lama’s visit.
Chinese leaders have long argued that the Dalai Lama is trying to split Tibet from the rest of the country and discouraged foreign leaders from meeting him. They reacted angrily to a meeting between the Nobel Peace Prize-winner and UK Prime Minister David Cameron last month.
Mr Salmond has worked hard to foster close links with China, with the relationship between the two countries culminating last year in the loaning of two giant pandas to Edinburgh zoo.
This week’s visit will be closely monitored by Beijing and there are fears it could potentially have a chilling effect on Sino-Scottish relations.
Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said: ”By refusing to meet the Dalai Lama the First Minister has left the impression that he is more interested in Chinese business relations and pandas than fundamental human rights.
”He could easily resolve this by agreeing to arrange a meeting. The Dalai Lama has met with presidents and prime ministers in over 62 countries, the First Minister must recognise the importance of this visit and meet the Dalai Lama this week.”
The Scottish Government has insisted Mr Salmond has had no official invite to meet the Dalai Lama during his trip to Scotland.
China has ruled Tibet since 1950, and the Chinese government has repeatedly accused exiled Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama, of stoking dissent against its rule. The spiritual leader fled to India in 1959 after a failed uprising.
The 76-year-old will visit Dundee on Friday to deliver the Margaret Harris Lecture on religion as a guest of Dundee University and Dundee City Council.
Photo by Peter Byrne/PA Wire