The Dalai Lama has arrived for a three-day visit to the Netherlands as part of a European trip.

Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende is not going to meet him. The Chinese ambassador had warned that such a meeting might damage relations with Beijing.

The Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen is also not officially receiving the Dalai Lama. However, Mr Verhagen will attend a meeting of religious leaders in The Hague at which the Tibetan spiritual leader will be present. The Dalai Lama will also be meeting MPs on Friday.

On his arrival at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, the Dalai Lama said not meeting the prime minister did not constitute a problem. He explained that he had no political agenda and was in the Netherlands only to promote inner peace.