The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet, has said he “loved” outgoing US president George W. Bush, but described his lack of support for some of his polices.
"To be honest, some of his policies have been a disaster, but as a person, I love him, he is open, very truthful," the Dalai Lama said in a press conference in Prague.
"At the first meeting, we were very close" from the start, he added.
Bush caused controversy in October 2007 when he took the spiritual leader into the White House, angering the Chinese Government.
During the conference, the 73-year-old Buddhist leader called for firmness and a critical spirit when dealing with China – using an analogy that friends should be able to cope with criticism.
However, The Dalai Lama has said recently he has “given up” on his attempts to persuade China to grant further autonomy to his native country, Tibet.