Associate Minister of Maori Affairs Sandra Lee has joined others gathered at Wellington's Pipitea Marae today to greet the Dalai Lama of Tibet at the start of his New Zealand visit.

"The Dalai Lama is a welcome visitor to New Zealand, " Ms Lee said, "and I was privileged to be present in my personal capacity to greet this venerable world leader."

The Dalai Lama is expected to meet the Acting Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs tomorrow at Parliament, and will speak on Buddhism and world peace later this week in Nelson and in Auckland.

He has visited New Zealand twice before—in 1992 and in 1996—when the incumbent Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers met him in his capacity as an international religious and spiritual leader, and campaigner for world peace.