WASHINGTON - THE Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled religious leader - brushed aside by US President Barack Obama in favour of communist China - was saluted at the US Capitol on Tuesday for his work for human rights.

The presentation ceremony underscored Mr Obama's dilemma in dealing with China, a growing power and the biggest holder of US debt, and the Dalai Lama, a self-described 'simple Buddhist monk' who Beijing accuses of seeking to separate Tibet from China.

For the first time in 18 years, the Dalai Lama is visiting Washington this week without stopping by to see the US president. The decision not to meet the Tibetan leader was made amid efforts to improve US-Chinese relations on issues from stemming global warming to reigning in North Korea's nuclear weapons.

The White House said that with the agreement of the Dalai Lama, Mr Obama will not meet with him until after the president's November summit with Chinese leader Hu Jintao.

At the White House, press secretary Robert Gibbs said: 'Our relationship with China, having a strong relationship and a good dialogue with them, allows us to talk to them about the cares and concerns of the Tibetan people.' 'We're fully in support of a meeting (with the Dalai Lama) that will take place later in the year,' Mr Gibbs said.

The Dalai Lama, in remarks at his award ceremony, called United States as a champion of 'liberty, freedom, democracy'. 'You must preserve these principles,' he said. 'That's important.' -- REUTERS