CANBERRA, Sept 17 (Reuter) - Australian Prime Minister John Howard came under increasing pressure on Tuesday to meet exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, as Beijing repeated warnings a meeting could jeopardise ties with Canberra.

The Dalai Lama, who Beijing believes is leading a pro-independence battle for the Himalayan region, arrived in Canberra on Tuesday as part of a two-week Australian tour.

He was greeted by about 300 supporters, including Buddhist monks and nuns, waving Tibetan flags and pro-independence banners when he arrived at Canberra airport.

About 100 people also rallied in front of Canberra's parliament house to call on Australia to urge China to open negotiations with the Dalai Lama, the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner.

A left-leaning opposition politician, Bob Brown, told the protest that Howard must meet the Dalai Lama and lobby for international support for his cause.

"Let me say on behalf of many people in this country who feel outraged by the continuing Chinese occupation and cultural genocide in Tibet that we want our nation's leader to be counted," Brown said.

"Let's hear from our prime minister...when he meets his holiness, as inevitably he must do, a strong, clear call for the end of Chinese repression of the Tibetan people," he said.

Several other opposition politicians addressing the rally also urged Howard to meet the exiled god-king.

The Dalai Lama, exiled since 1959, wants a form of regional autonomy for Tibet and on Monday urged Howard to lobby Beijing to begin negotiations.

Howard has not yet said if he will meet the Dalai Lama, but he is widely expected to hold private talks with the Buddhist leader later this month.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer met the Dalai Lama when he arrived in Australia on Saturday. Downer stressed it was a private meeting.

The Dalai Lama is due to hold a series of talks with senior opposition and government figures during his visit to Canberra.

But Beijing has reportedly repeated earlier warnings against official contact between Australia's conservative government and the Dalai Lama.

"We express our deep regret and strong dissatisfaction and we reserve the right for further response," The Australian newspaper on Tuesday quoted a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman as saying.

China has faced international criticism over its rule in Tibet since troops invaded in 1950.