Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has toured Mongolia's largest monastery as part of a trip Mongolian officials insist is nonpolitical.
Thousands of supporters welcomed the Dalai Lama Tuesday at the Buddhist monastery in Mongolia's capital, Ulaanbaator.
It is the Nobel Peace laureate's seventh visit to Mongolia. China protested previous visits. The Beijing government has considered the Dalai Lama a political separatist since he fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule.
Mongolian officials and event organizers are downplaying politics during the Dalai Lama's visit, insisting the trip is for religious matters only.
The Dalai Lama is scheduled to give a series of talks to Buddhist monks and the Mongolian public.
Thousands of supporters welcomed the Dalai Lama Tuesday at the Buddhist monastery in Mongolia's capital, Ulaanbaator.
It is the Nobel Peace laureate's seventh visit to Mongolia. China protested previous visits. The Beijing government has considered the Dalai Lama a political separatist since he fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule.
Mongolian officials and event organizers are downplaying politics during the Dalai Lama's visit, insisting the trip is for religious matters only.
The Dalai Lama is scheduled to give a series of talks to Buddhist monks and the Mongolian public.