Dalai Lama greeted by Tibetans on US leg of tour

The Dalai Lama has arrived in the United States for the first time since the recent turmoil in Tibet, serenaded by fellow Tibetans as he prepared to anchor an ambitious conference on compassion.

The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader came to Seattle, a day after demonstrators disrupted the Olympic torch run in San Francisco in a protest of China’s treatment of his people. The Dalai Lama will be attending a five-day conference that begins today.

With the Dalai Lama in town, some community leaders said they expected counter-demonstrations from pro-China groups.

But all was peaceful when he arrived at a downtown hotel, telling local Tibetans that he supports non-violent demonstrations but was saddened by the protests in San Francisco.

The Dalai Lama had travelled to the US from Japan.