US Government Appoints New ‘Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues’Sunday, 4 October 2009, 2:52 p.m.

Ms. Maria Otero, with Kasur Lodi Gyari, His Holiness the    Dalai Lama’s Special Envoy/Photo: ICT

Dharamshala: US
Under Secretary of State Maria Otero has been appointed as the Special
Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. The formal announcement was made
Thursday, 1 October, by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.The
appointment of the Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues is mandated
by the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 and is an indication of the United
States’ commitment to a negotiated resolution on Tibet that preserves
the distinct religious, cultural and linguistic heritage of the Tibetan
people.In September this year, Under Secretary Otera and Ms.
Valerie Jarrett, President Barack Obama’s Senior Advisor and Assistant,
met His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala to convey “President
Obama’s commitment to support the Tibetan people in protecting their
distinct religious, linguistic, and cultural heritage and securing
respect for their human rights and civil liberties”. His
Holiness the Dalai Lama welcomed the decision to appoint Under
Secretary Maria Otero as the Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues and
said he looked forward to working with her.His Holiness greatly
appreciated President Obama’s concern for the situation in Tibet and
said he was hopeful that during his presidency the Tibetan people can
see progress in the resolution of their problem. His Holiness is
looking forward to meeting President Obama after his visit to China.Under
Secretary Otero concurrently serves as Under Secretary of State for
Democracy and Global Affairs, a position also previously held by Paula
Dobriansky, the Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues under the Bush
Administration.During her confirmation hearing on 25 June 2009
before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ms. Otero stated that
the Obama administration was “disappointed by the lack of progress
during eight rounds of talks between the Chinese government and the
Dalai Lama’s representatives,” adding that “substantive dialogue…holds
out the best hope for progress in addressing the legitimate,
longstanding, concerns of Tibetans, which have been a key factor in
recent unrest.”Among the responsibilities of the Special
Coordinator for Tibetan Issues as outlined in the Tibet Policy Act of
2002, Under Secretary Otero will work to promote “substantive dialogue”
between His Holiness the Dalai Lama or his representatives and the
government of the People’s Republic of China, as well as coordinate
United States government policies, programs and projects related to
Tibet.