Beijing: China urged Germany today to repair damage to bilateral ties caused by Chancellor Angela Merkel s September meeting with the Dalai Lama, whom Beijing views as a dangerous separatist.

"At present, some difficulties have emerged in the bilateral relationship due to the meeting between the German chancellor and the Dalai Lama," foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a regular press briefing. "We hope Germany can take concrete steps to remove the negative impact of its erroneous act so that bilateral relations can move forward on a rapid and sound track. I believe this is in the interest of both countries."

Since Merkel hosted the Tibetan spiritual leader at her office September 23,China has pulled out of several gatherings involving Germany, apparently in anger. Beijing refused to take part in a planned meeting last month of world powers on the Iranian nuclear crisis in Berlin, forcing its cancellation. It has also axed an annual event scheduled for December in Beijing to discuss human rights and pulled out of a Germany-China symposium scheduled for late September in Munich, citing "technical reasons."

The Dalai Lama s Berlin visit was just one of several recent audiences with world leaders that have enraged China. US President George W Bush met the Dalai Lama last month in Washington, where the US Congress also bestowed on him on the Congressional Gold Medal -- the highest civilian award Congress can give.

Source : PTI