US Government Encourages Substantive Talks on Tibet

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Tibet.net
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President Barack Obama meets with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the Map Room of the White House February 18, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Dharamshala: The US State Department has submitted its annual report on Tibet negotiations to the Congress, encouraging substantive dialogue between His Holiness the Dalai Lama or his representatives and the Chinese government to resolve long-standing issues.

The 2009-2010 report outlined the “US Policy on Tibet ”, “Steps taken by the President and the Secretary of State to encourage the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to enter into a dialogue with Dalai Lama or his representatives leading to a negotiated agreement on Tibet ” and “Status of discussions between the PRC and the Dalai Lama's representatives”.

“The US government believes that the Dalai Lama can be a constructive partner for China as it deals with the difficult challenge of continuing tensions in Tibetan areas. His views are widely reflected within Tibetan society, and he commands the respect of the vast majority of Tibetans. His consistent advocacy on non-violence is an important principle for making progress toward a lasting solution,” the report noted.

“ China 's engagement with the Dalai Lama or his representatives to resolve problems facing Tibetans is in the interests of both the Chinese government and the Tibetan people. Failure to address these problems will lead to greater tensions inside China and will be an impediment to China 's social and economic development.”

The US government reiterated its call for China to respect the unique religious, lingustic, and cultural heritage  of the Tibetan people and their human rights, and civil liberties.

(Click for full report)