Dharamsala, November 21: Describing Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh as a "clean politician", the exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama Saturday reportedly raised hope that the Indian Prime Minister would do whatever possible on the Tibetan issue when he meets US President Barack Obama next week.

“The Indian prime minister is a very honest person and a clean politician. India and Tibet have a very close spiritual relation. I am sure that whatever the prime minister can appeal to Obama, he will do,” IANS quoted the Dalai Lama as saying in New Delhi when asked about his hopes from Manmohan Singh’s four-day trip to Washington.

Manmohan Singh left for the US Saturday as the first state guest of Obama at the White House.

“I have no worry but I understand that he should be practical and realistic. The government of India and the US have certain limitations and that is also a reality,” the Dalai Lama told reporters at the launch of a campus centre at Max hospital in Saket.

During his visit to Italy earlier this week, the Dalai Lama had appreciated Obama’s appeal to Chinese leaders for the early resumption of talks with his representatives over the Tibet issue.

“The government of India and we have accepted Tibet as an autonomous region of the Republic of China. President Obama must have had serious talks with the Chinese leaders (on the Tibet issue) and I must appreciate that,” IANS quoted the 74-year old Tibetan leader as saying on the sidelines of the press conference.