Dalai Lama brings forward Israel trip to avoid clash with Chinese leader

JERUSALEM, Nov 1 (AFP) - Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has brought forward his planned trip to Israel to avoid clashing with a visit by former Chinese premier Li Peng.

The Dalai Lama is due to arrive on November 20 to attend a religious conference in Beit Gavriel in the Galilee area of Israel, according to a statement issued by the event organisers on Monday.

He is expected to be joined at the conference by among others, US Nation of Islam leader Imam Warith Deen Mohammed, Vatican representative Bishop Michael Fitzgerald and former Italian prime minister Giulio Andreotti.

Israel narrowly avoided a diplomatic incident when it became apparent that the Dalai Lama was originally due here on November 25, the same day as Li, now chairman of the Chinese parliament, who is due to meet Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister David Levy.

The Dalai Lama last came here in June and visited Christian, Jewish and Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem.

Li's trip follows a landmark visit here 10 days ago by Chinese Defence Minister Chi Haotian in which he and Barak discussed boosting defence cooperation between the once estranged governments.

China and Israel only established diplomatic ties in 1992, and Beijing has traditionally enjoyed close relations with the Palestinians and the Arab world. Beijing considers Tibet, which it invaded in 1950, as an integral part of China. The Dalai Lama fled Lhasa for India after a failed uprising in 1959.