Dharamsala, Sep 15 - US President Barack Obama must meet Chinese President Hu Jintao first and then the Dalai Lama as cordial relations between the two countries are very important, said the prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile here.

'No meeting between the two has been fixed yet. I feel President Obama should meet Chinese President Hu Jintao first and then His Holiness (Dalai Lama),' Professor Samdhong Rinpoche said during an interaction with a group of media persons here.

Elaborating, he said: 'Cordial relations between the US and PRC (People's Republic of China) in the present situation is very important. There should not be any hostile relations and confrontation between these two... In order to strike a good relation with China, he should not irritate the Chinese leadership.'

He added that the Dalai Lama is the cause of 'great irritation' to China. 'The Chinese leadership is quite irritated with whatever he does,' he said.

The Tibetan spiritual leader is scheduled to visit the US next month.

The Tibetan prime minister also said that he has a lot of hopes from Obama.

'His support and sympathy is very important. Unless the Chinese leadership has the will to resolve Tibet, outside powers can only help but cannot take any decisive course. Tibet will always remain an internal issue of PRC,' he added.

Meanwhile, ahead of Obama's visit to China, his aides Monday met Dalai Lama at his official residence to apprise him on the best way the US could assist in the resolution of the Tibetan issue.

The officials, led by White House advisor Valerie Jarrett, briefed the Dalai Lama about the US approach to the issue. The meeting lasted for more than two hours.