Mongolia Prepares for Visit of Dalai Lama This Month

蒙古准备这个月达赖喇嘛来访

Mongolia's largest Buddhist monastery says it is preparing for a visit by the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader. The monastery says the Dalai Lama will visit the complex in the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar, later this month.

The Associated Press quotes exiled Tibetan official in India as confirming the Dalai Lama's plan to visit Mongolia in the coming days. The Dalai Lama's government-in-exile is based in the northern Indian town of Dharamsala.

The Dalai Lama's previous visit to Mongolia in 2002 sparked angry protests by China, which views the Buddhist leader as a separatist. Around half of Mongolia's population follows a form of Buddhism that is related to Tibetan Buddhism.

蒙古最大的佛寺说，他们在准备迎接西藏流亡精神领袖达赖喇嘛访问。这个寺院说，达赖喇嘛将在这个月晚些时候访问位于蒙古首都乌兰巴托的这个寺院。

美联社援引在印度的西藏流亡政府官员的话，证实达赖喇嘛将在未来数天内访问蒙古的计划。达赖喇嘛的流亡政府设在印度北部达兰萨拉。

达赖喇嘛上一次访问蒙古是在2002年，曾引发中国抗议。中国认为达赖喇嘛是分离主义份子。蒙古大约一半人口信仰一种与藏传佛教有关的佛教。