Dundee’s lord provost is at the centre of a diplomatic row over the visit of the Dalai Lama following allegations China tried to “nobble” him.
Bob Duncan, who took on the role as the city’s civic leader last month, confirmed he has cancelled a scheduled speech during the appearance of the Tibetan spiritual leader at the Caird Hall on Friday.
But the SNP councillor for Lochee insisted the move was not due to “political” considerations. He says a bereavement means he may not be able to attend the event at all.
He said he hoped to meet the Buddhist monk inside the Caird Hall, but would not be part of the official welcoming party and photo opportunity outside.
Mr Duncan also confirmed he met the Chinese Consul-General last week to discuss the Dalai Lama’s visit.
China is known to furiously lobby against any foreign dignitaries meeting the Nobel Peace Prize winner.
But in a dramatic development late on Tuesday night, the co-ordinator of the Scottish visit, Victor Spence, issued an unusually strongly-worded statement making it clear there is unhappiness among those close to the Dalai Lama at the way the situation has been handled.
“I have always admired the respect Dundee University has shown His Holiness,” he said. “On Dundee Council, they are only answerable to the community that they say they serve.”
First Minister Alex Salmond, the SNP leader, has been fiercely criticised for not arranging to meet the Dalai Lama during his visit, and faced claims he is failing to confront human rights issues to protect his relationship with China.
There were clear signs on Tuesday that Dundee City Council which became an SNP majority council in last month’s local elections is attempting to distance itself from the visit.
It was described as being organised by Dundee University, with Mr Duncan explicitly telling The Courier it was a “university event”.
However, the official website of the visit lists Dundee City Council as one of the organisations that extended the invitation, and press releases issued in previous weeks clearly stated the event was being jointly organised by the council.
When details of the visit were first confirmed in January a statement issued by the university included a quote from then Lord Provost John Letford, who said it would be “a privilege” for Dundee.
One source told The Courier it was “not a secret” around the council that the SNP administration had been “nobbled” by the Chinese.”
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“The lord provost was going to be making a speech at the Caird Hall but he has pulled that. This is not a secret around the council and a lot of people are angry about it,” said the source. “The administration have basically been nobbled by the Chinese and this is the result of it. It has all happened in the last week.”
Similar meetings between the Chinese Consul-General with council officials in Edinburgh and Inverness the other legs of the Scottish visit also took place last week.
Speaking on Tuesday evening, Mr Duncan said he was not taking a “political view” of the visit.
“I’m planning to meet him inside the hall and I will be in the hall to hear his speech,” he said. “There has been a bereavement on my wife’s side and I am not entirely sure I will be able to attend so I have had to cancel the speech.
“I am not taking a political view on it. He is here as a guest of the university and we will welcome him as we would any other guest.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie attacked the council’s SNP administration.
“The SNP in Dundee have clearly been given their orders from Alex Salmond in Bute House,” he said. “The SNP have been nobbled by the Chinese Government and warned off from any kind of relationship with the Dalai Lama.
“Putting their interests before human rights, Tibet and the Dalai Lama is not the kind of Scotland I hoped the SNP stood for.”
Labour MSP Jenny Marra said: “The SNP seems to want the rights of a sovereign nation without any of the responsibilities.”
A Dundee University spokesman said: “The university’s principal, rector and chaplain will meet the Dalai Lama and welcome him to Dundee to deliver the Margaret Harris Lecture on Religion, an event organised by the university.
“The day will be a celebration of Dundee, with local schools, individuals and community groups taking part in a programme of events that will live long in the memory of all involved.”
A Dundee City Council spokesman said: “The Consul-General of China visited Dundee recently as part of a long-running programme of courtesy visits he makes to cities in Scotland. The city council welcomes and values this ongoing dialogue.”
The Chinese Consul-General office in Edinburgh could not be contacted. China has ruled Tibet since 1950, and the Chinese government has repeatedly accused exiled Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama, of stoking dissent against its rule.