RUSSIA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY MAKES NO COMMENTS ON ILYUMZHINOV'S STATEMENT

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MOSCOW, July 16 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Foreign Ministry makes no comments on Kalmyk President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov's statement with regard to non-granting a visa to Dalai Lama.

"The Russian Foreign Ministry abstains from commenting on this issue", the Russian Foreign Ministry's Information and Press Department told RIA Novosti.

On Friday, Mr. Ilyumzhinov stated at a press conference that the fact that Dalai Lama was not admitted to Russia infringed the Russian Constitution. According to Mr. Ilyumzhinov, he addressed Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov with a request to issue a visa for Dalai Lama to Russia, where he could meet the believers.

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that when considering the issue of Dalai Lama's visit to the Russian Federation one should not only take into account the rightful demands of the Russian citizens professing Buddhism, but also the fact that Russia is bound by certain international commitments.

Russia's Foreign Ministry emphasized the importance of such factor as the strategic partnership of Russia and China, "which regards the Tibet problem as one of the country's territorial integrity".

"Russia's principled position remains the same: Tibet is China's inalienable part, while official contacts with Dalai Lama are not maintained", said the Russian Foreign Ministry's Information and Press Department.

Last time Dalai Lama XIV (Tenzin Gyatso) came to Russia in 1992 with an informal visit. He ministered a sacred service in the Ivolga Datsan (monastery), the Buryatia-based Russian Buddhism Center, and met representatives of the republic's Buddhist community.

Since 1962 Dalai Lama has lived in exile in India.

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