The United States officials have yet again assured their support to the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama. While reiterating their support to His Holiness and the middle way approach to resolve the Tibetan cause, they also urged China to resume talks with them.
US Ambassador-At-Large for International Religious Freedom Samuel Brownback has said the US will continue to support the Dalai Lama’s ‘middle-way’ approach and urged China to resume formal dialogue with him or his representatives, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the Tibetan government in exile.
The Middle Way Approach (MWA), a policy conceived by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, seeks genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people and engagement with the Chinese leadership for the benefit of both the Chinese and Tibetan people. The policy straddles the middle path between the status quo and independence.
According to the Central Tibetan Administration, two exploratory talk missions were sent in 1982 and 1984 to meet with the PRC leadership in Beijing. Then, from 2002 to 2010, the envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama held nine rounds of talks and one informal meeting with representatives of the Chinese leadership. However, China stopped all means of dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and CTA since then.
Earlier this month, US speaker Nancy Pelosi also reiterated that her country will stand by the Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, a champion of peace and securing human rights of the Tibetan people.
“Each March 10th, Americans remember their bravery and determined spirit of those who fought and gave their lives, and US recommit to securing the promise of human rights and religious freedom for the people of Tibet,” Speaker Pelosi said during the 60th commemoration of Tibetan National Uprising Day on March 10.
“Over the decades, the Dalai Lama has come to represent the spirit of resiliency of the Tibetan people and his transcendent message of hope continues to inspire all freedom-loving people to champion the aspirations of Tibetan men, women and children, and their right to speak their language, teach their culture and practice their religion in peace,” she added.