Special Envoy Kasur Lodi Gyari talks to VOA and RFA on situation in Nepal[Tuesday, 5 October 2010, 9:24 a.m.]
Washington, DC:
Special Envoy Kasur Lodi Gyari briefed reporters of Radio Free Asia and
Voice of America Tibetan services on 4 October 2010 regarding his
meeting with US Ambassador to Nepal, Scott DeLisi in the morning at the
State Department in Washington, DC.He mentioned that this
meeting had been scheduled for some time to discuss with the
Ambassador, who was on a visit to Washington, DC, the whole range of
issues affecting Tibetans in Nepal. During the meeting Special
Envoy Gyari raised the issue of the Nepalese police action against
Tibetans at the election venue in Kathmandu on 3 October. There was
concern and the Ambassador is looking into the matter.Special
Envoy Gyari said he had informed Ambassador DeLisi that the 3 October
development was one both of concern and regret. He said his concern was
not because of what this meant to the Tibetans but for its implication
on Nepal as a sovereign state. Nepal has become like an autonomous
region of China. He said he was concerned because of the long term
historical relationship between Nepal and Tibet.He said
Ambassador DeLisi expressed his concern and said that he was already in
touch with the Embassy in Kathmandu to get more details about the
development.Referring to the media reports quoting Nepalese
officials as saying they had taken the action because of their
adherence to one China policy, Special Envoy Gyari said that the
Tibetan elections were not against the Chinese nation. He said
ironically the Nepalese action at the behest of the Chinese authorities
only contributed to highlighting the Tibetan democratic exercise to the
international community.In response to a question, Special
Envoy Gyari said that it was his understanding that the United States
government will be in touch with other governments regarding the
development and possible action relating to this. In response to
another question whether this development was not an indication of
Chinese influence dominating in Nepal, Special Envoy Gyari said that he
did not agree with this. He said the difference was that the United
States and other like minded governments respected Nepal as a sovereign
nation and dealt with its government accordingly. Therefore, these
governments did not treat Nepal’s government in any condescending
manner. On the other hand, the Chinese authorities were virtually
ordering Nepalese officials without any respect to its status as a
sovereign nation. He said this was common knowledge among
representatives of the international community in Nepal.
