French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said today he expected the European Union counterparts would invite the Dalai Lama to Brussels soon.
EU foreign ministers issued a joint statement last weekend expressing "strong concern" over the situation in Tibet and calling for dialogue between the Dalai Lama and Beijing.
An invitation is likely to anger Beijing, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel did when she met the Dalai Lama last year, prompting a four-month chill in relations with China, a crucial market for many European companies.
China has blamed the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, and his supporters for inciting peaceful protests that began March 10th in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa. The marches turned violent four days later.
Rights groups have criticised China's crackdown on the anti-government protests.
The Dalai Lama will make a brief stopover in Japan when he travels to the United States from India next week. Japan's comments on the Tibet unrest have been guarded, reflecting its eagerness to keep improving ties with Beijing on track
"We have to think hard whether it is appropriate to be outspoken at this time," Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said last week.
Chinese President Hu Jintao is scheduled to visit Japan for six days from May 6th, it was reported yesterday, the first visit by a Chinese president to Japan in a decade.