Treated to unpredictable questions in Latvia

RIGA - The Tibetan spiritual leader in exile, the Dalai Lama, arrived in Latvia June 21 to try to put his fingers on the Latvian spiritual pulse. During his three-day visit he had private meetings with several prominent officials, including President Vaira-Vike Freiberga.

The Dalai Lama also held four lectures on various topics, including "The Art of Happiness" and "Buddhist Science and Beliefs."

During a press conference that had all the atmosphere of a touring rock star, the Dalai Lama said his favorite politician was Czech President Vaclav Havel.

The Dalai Lama has many times been criticized by China as a "counter revolutionary" and "leader of a Tibetan separatist group." But his visit to the Baltics passed off with little protest by Chinese diplomats here although politicians said they were advised not to meet with him.

Before his visit, the Chinese Embassy issued a warning that it would cut all relations with officials who met with the spiritual leader.

Wang Wenqi, spokesman for the Chinese Embassy, told The Baltic Times on a prior occasion that "The Dalai Lama issue is not a religious one, rather it is political. The Dalai Lama is the leader of a separatist political group that is trying to sever Tibet from China, which we are categorically against."

Aiva Rozenberga, the Latvian president's spokeswoman, said Vike-Freiberga and the Dalai Lama spoke about the cultural and historical values of Tibet during a visit to the president's summer home.

During one of his lectures the Dalai Lama confused some members of the audience. He said that one should always try to see goodness in other people, and when asked by a member of the audience where the goodness lay in Hitler, Stalin and Mao Zedong, the Dalai Lama spoke about the past and future lives of these dictators, explaining they may all have been abused by their fathers in those lives.

The Dalai Lama's public addresses were attended by thousands of people. At the lecture on the art of happiness, Freiberga was in the audience.

Former President Guntis Ulmanis invited the Dalai Lama to come to his flat for a cup of tea. There the Dalai Lama spoke with Ulmanis, Latvian Prime Minister Andris Berzins and MP Peteris Apinis, who chairs the Parliament's Tibetan support group.