Dalai Lama says he regrets incident with boy pilgrim

It is reported by RIA Novosti with reference to the press office of the spiritual leader.

"His Holiness wishes to apologize to the boy and his family, as well as to numerous friends around the world, for the pain that his words may have caused," the statement said.

As the agency points out, we are talking about a video that recorded the meeting of the Dalai Lama with a boy pilgrim at the residence of a religious figure in Dharamsala on February 28. During this meeting, the young pilgrim asked to hug the Dalai Lama, in response to this, the man kissed the child on the lips and invited him to "suck his tongue."

The press office attributed the Dalai Lama's behavior to his love of "often innocently and playfully teasing people."

In 2017, the Dalai Lama called for the spread of the "spirit of the European Union."