For the first time since 1991, the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will visit Washington this week and not meet with the President. The Obama administration reportedly pressured Tibetan representatives to postpone a meeting between the Dalai Lama and President Obama until after Obama’s summit with his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, scheduled for next month. The Washington Post reports the Obama administration’s decision to postpone the meeting appears to be part of a strategy to improve ties with China that also includes soft-pedaling criticism of China’s human rights and financial policies, as well as backing efforts to elevate China’s position in international institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund.