Agence France-Presse

June 08, 2009

CHINA has strongly condemned authorities in Paris for making Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama an honorary citizen, saying it was a "grave interference" in Sino-French ties.

"The behaviour of the Paris government... can only create serious damage to cooperation between Paris and relevant cities in China and has created grave interference in relations between China and France,'' said a statement by China's foreign ministry.

The Dalai Lama was made an honorary citizen of the French capital yesterday following a March 2008 decision by the city's council to award him the title.

"The Paris council decided in March 2008 to make this award out of regard for the Dalai Lama's qualities and the fight he is leading for dialogue and peace,'' Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoe told guests at the award ceremony.

The news comes amid shaky relations between China and France.

The two countries have only just patched up ties after French President Nicolas Sarkozy incurred China's wrath for meeting the Dalai Lama in Poland in December, leading Beijing to cancel a key EU-China summit.