(TibetanReview.net, Jun08, 2018) – The State Department has submitted on May 21 its first report to Congress detailing the steps taken by the Trump Administration in 2017 to encourage dialogue between envoys of the Dalai Lama and representatives of the Chinese government to resolve the Tibetan issue. However, this has taken place without the appointment of a Special Coordinator on Tibetan Issues as required under the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 and is devoid of any mention of Tibet issue having been taken up by top US leaders in their meetings with Chinese counterparts.
The report was quoted as saying: “The US Government remains concerned by the lack of meaningful autonomy for Tibetans within China, ongoing violations and abuses of the human rights of Tibetans in China, and efforts by Chinese authorities to eliminate the distinct religious, linguistic, and cultural identity of Tibetans. The United States believes the Chinese government must address these concerns to create conditions for a sustainable settlement, which is essential to the long-term stability of the region.”
The report was quoted as expressing the US government’s belief that “a negotiated outcome that results in meaningful autonomy for Tibetans, and ensures they are able to practice freely their religion, culture, and language, provides the best hope for long-term stability in the region.”
The report is said to list meetings the US Consul General in Chengdu had with officials of the Tibet Autonomous Region during which they “regularly expressed concerns to the Chinese government regarding severe restrictions imposed on Tibetans’ ability to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
Although a Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues still remains to be appointed, the report was quoted as saying its office “continued to coordinate US efforts to promote substantive dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama or his representatives.”
The Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 requires the President to provide reports to Congress concerning “the steps taken by the President and Secretary of State” on the issue of dialogue between the Dalai Lama’s envoys and the Chinese leadership.
