China calls off EU summit over Dalai Lama row

Brussels: China has called off a summit with the European Union scheduled for next Monday because of plans for Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to visit European leaders and institutions, the EU said.

In Paris, a French government spokesman confirmed French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, would go ahead and meet the Dalai Lama in Poland next month despite Beijing's displeasure.

"The president of the Republic will meet the Nobel Prize winners. So he will meet the Dalai Lama in that framework," the spokesman, Luc Chatel, told reporters.

"Nicolas Sarkozy... is free to decide his agenda," he said.

In a statement, the 27-nation bloc expressed regret at China's decision and said it would continue to promote a strategic partnership with Beijing, "particularly at time when the global economic and financial situation calls for very close co-operation between Europe and China".

China's foreign ministry and the Chinese embassy in Paris had no immediate comment. But the ministry warned earlier this month that Sarkozy risked losing "hard-won" gains in ties with Beijing if he met the Dalai Lama.

China tried to persuade French officials only last week not to let any meeting between Sarkozy and the Dalai Lama take place when Zhu Weiqun, a vice minister who handles relations with ethnic minorities and religious leaders, visited Paris, a diplomatic source said.

It was not immediately clear what commercial fallout, if any, there would be from the disagreement.

"If there are problems between the two sides, the best step would be to work hard to solve the problem," he said.

The meeting between Sarkozy and the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader is scheduled to take place in Poland on Dec. 6 at a ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the award of the Nobel Prize to former Solidarity leader Lech Walesa.