PHK also pulls out of Dalai Lama conference

The three-day conference begins today in Gaborone.

Kedikilwe, one of the major drawcards after the Dalai Lama himself and former South African First Lady, Graca Machel, told Mmegi he would also not be attending the conference. The Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader viewed by China as a separatist rebel, withdrew from the conference on Saturday, citing exhaustion. The move came after months of mounting diplomatic tensions between China and Botswana, with the Oriental giant vowing punitive measures if Gaborone opened its doors to the Dalai Lama.