by Jack Taylor

CANBERRA, Sept 17 (AFP) - Senior Australian cabinet ministers dodged meetings with the Dalai Lama here Tuesday, as Prime Minister John Howard announced in Indonesia he would meet Tibet's spiritual leader next week in defiance of Chinese threats.

Howard's statement followed strong protests by China and renewed threats of retaliation over the visit to Australia by the religious figurehead Beijing regards as the key symbol of Tibet's independence struggle.

"My position on the Dalai is that I will, providing our mutual travels make it possible, I will see him in Australia next week," Howard told reporters after a meeting with Indonesia's President Suharto in Jakarta.

Howard said he "understood the sensitivities of the Chinese government" but hoped they understood the Dalai Lama was an important religious leader.

"I have explained to the Chinese authorities that naturally the Australian prime minister decides according to Australian interests who the Australian prime minister sees.

"We have a proper reputation as a country of religious and political tolerance and it is in that context that any meeting between us, if it can be arranged, will take place," Howard said.

However, his government left it entirely to Labor opposition leader Kim Beazley and members of the centrist Australian Democrats to welcome the 61-year-old Nobel laureate when he arrived here Tuesday to bless the parliament.

Acting prime minister and Trade Minister Tim Fischer told reporters that he would not meet the Dalai Lama and the government would not formally recognise the visit.

"The government is not in the habit of particularly recognising visits by religious leaders," Fischer said.

Fischer upset human rights groups and supporters of Tibet when he said last week that Chinese rule had brought many improvements to Tibet, and he did not plan to meet the Dala Lama.

Senate leader and Environment Minister Robert Hill failed to explain his cancellation of an appointment to meet the Dalai Lama Tuesday, issuing a statement which only said he would not be meeting him.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer incurred China's wrath by flying to Sydney from Adelaide to meet the Dalai Lama when he arrived Saturday night at the start of his 15-day visit.

China's foreign ministry warned Monday of possible retaliation over Downer's meeting and expressed its strong disapproval of the visit.

"We express our deep regret and strong dissatisfaction and we reserve the right for further response," a foreign ministry spokesman said.

After the Dalai Lama met Beazley and members of the Australian Democrats, he addressed almost 1,000 supporters in the parliament's Great Hall and delivered a mantra bestowing the spirit of peace and compassion on the building and its occupants.

He said he was not disappointed that Fischer decided not to meet him because he did not want to embarrass anybody.

"So if they find some inconvenience, no problem," he said, adding that the main purpose of his visit was not politics, but "a promotion of human values."

He said he would urge Howard to seek a negotiated settlement to end the "cultural genocide" in Tibet.

The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet following an abortive uprising in 1959, established the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala, India, where he now lives.

He was awarded the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize for his peaceful struggle to liberate Tibet.