His Holiness the Dalai Lama's fall visit to the United States has been cancelled. His Holiness was to have visited New York, Kentucky, Stanford University and Los Angeles.

For many years now the Kashag (the Cabinet of the Tibetan government) and His Holiness' personal doctors have been requesting His Holiness to cut down on the number of his foreign visits for reasons of protecting his health. However, in recent years his trips abroad have increased. This month again, the Kashag and his doctors made a joint appeal to cut down on his busy schedule, including his visits abroad.

His Holiness assented, and it has been decided that, except for immediate commitments, the less immediate visits would be cancelled. Included in the cancelled visits is His Holiness' October trip to the United States.