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Washington Hails Tibetan Delegation’s Visit to China
New York 14 September: Welcoming Beijing's move to host His Holiness the Dalai Lama's envoys, the United States today expressed the hope that the on-going visit of the Tibetan leader's representatives would pave the way for substantive talks between the two sides.
US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said in the department’s website, "This administration will follow this visit with great interest and we look forward to hearing more at the conclusion of the talks. "
President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell continue to discuss with Chinese leaders the need for "substantive dialogue" with the Dalai Lama or his representatives to resolve longstanding differences, Boucher said.
On its part, China described the visit as "a good thing" as it helps the Tibetans abroad to make "correct judgments" about the situation at home.
Tibet.Net, an online news service of the Central Tibetan administration, reported that the envoys received their final instructions from His Holiness the Dalai Lama during an audience on September 8, when Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche, head of the Tibetan exile administration, took part in the meeting.
The Dharamsala-based website also reported that "His Holiness the Dalai Lama is pleased that his Envoys are making another visit and hopes the process will move forward to bring about substantive negotiations on the Tibet problem."
The two envoys-Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen-left New Delhi Sunday, accompanied by senior assistants Sonam Norbu Dagpo and Bhuchung Tsering.
This is their third visit.
The envoys and assistants undertook the first confidence-building visit in September 2002 when official contact between Dharamsala and Beijing was re-established after a decade of standoff.
Their second visit came in May-June 2003.The visits are aimed at convincing the Chinese government of the sincerity of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Middle Way approach to resolving the Tibetan problem so as to build a foundation for the two sides to begin substantive negotiations on the core issue.
The Middle Way approach was formulated in the 1970s when His Holiness decided that in the light of changing realities in China and the world at large, the aspirations of the Tibetan people could be achieved even if Tibet remained within the political framework of the People's Republic of China.
The approach seeks to address the Chinese government's fear of instability in Tibet and its eventual separation from China, while at the same time obtaining real autonomy for a reunified Tibet-consisting of the present-day Tibet Autonomous Region and the eastern half of the Tibetan plateau, now merged with the Chinese provinces of Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan.
China, His Holiness suggests, may continue to remain responsible for Tibet's defence and foreign affairs, and may even help in the educational and economic development of Tibet.
Similarly, the Buddhist culture of Tibet can play an important role in helping the Chinese people rediscover the values of their spiritual past. In short, the approach seeks to foster symbiotic relationship between Tibetans and the Chinese government; it seeks to find a middle ground between the idea of Tibet's independence and the untenable present situation.
Report Courtesy: OoT, New York
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