Rod Meade Sperry at Shambhala Sun Space points out that His Holiness the Dalai Lama may be going to Rome to be made an honorary citizen. China won’t be pleased, as Rod points out. And for that reason the Dalai Lama won’t be invited to meet with His Holiness Benedict XVI. A great photo op — blown!
Because of the Vatican’s touchy relationship with China — everyone has a touchy relationship with China, but because of the position of the Catholic Church within China, the Vatican’s is especially precarious — the Holy See usually doesn’t want to see the DL on its turf.