WASHINGTON, April 22 (AFP) - The Dalai Lama has arrived in Washington for a four-day visit during which he is expected to meet with top US government officials and congressmen, but there is still no word about a meeting with President Bill Clinton.

Tibet's exiled spiritual leader arrived here from France on Monday to inaugurate the Third World Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet, where legislators from around the world will coordinate strategies to help the Himalayan territory.

The Dalai Lama was expected to meet with Vice President Al Gore, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and senior Democratic and Republican lawmakers, including Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Jesse Helms and House International Relations Committee chairman Ben Gilman.

However, there was no word yet on whether the Nobel laureate would meet with Clinton. The White House said Friday a non-official meeting would be possible.

Though the US has traditionally been sympathetic to the Dalai Lama's message, a meeting with Clinton would anger China at a time when Sino-US ties are steadily becoming more firm.

Before the Dalai Lama began his overseas tour, which included a visit to Spain, China warned France and other western governments that they should keep pledges to have no official contacts with the Tibetan spiritual leader.

The international conference on Tibet has been organised jointly by the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, located in the Indian hill town of Dharamsala, and the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet.

The Dalai Lama is also expected to lead an interfaith gathering at the opulent National Cathedral late Thursday, along with US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson and Northern Ireland peace activist Mairead Maguire.