Archbishop of Canterbury to meet Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama arrived in the UK on Tuesday for a 11-day visit, which includes a meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Dr Rowan Williams will be joined by Prime Minister Gordon Brown when he receives the Dalai Lama, Tibetan spiritual leader and head of the Tibetan Government-in-exile, at Lambeth Palace on Friday.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Dalai Lama will receive an honorary degree from London Metropolitan University. His visit will also include an address at Parliament and speech at the Royal Albert Hall, and later in the week, he will give evidence on human rights in a hearing of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

Brown has come under fire from pro-Tibet campaigners for denying the Dalai Lama an audience at 10 Downing Street. They accuse the Prime Minister of trying to appease the Chinese Government.

China and Tibet remain at loggerheads over Tibet's status and the last few months have seen a number of pro-independence protests in the region.

Many Tibetans dispute China's territorial claim over the region, which it has held since 1950.

China holds the Dalai Lama responsible for the recent protests, an accusation he denies.