His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the solution, says Special Envoy Lodi G. Gyari
Special Envoy, Mr.Lodi G.Gyari (R) and Envoy, Mr.Kelsang Gyaltsen(L) addressing the press |
Dharamsala (Tibet.Net): The Envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama headed by Mr.Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari returned from their second trip to China early last week. They have now arrived in Dharamsala and today met with the press here.
Mr. Lodi Gyari categorically clarified their role as facilitators for future negotiations to take place between His Holiness the Dalai lama and the Chinese government. He told the press that the two visits headed by him had strictly followed the instructions of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. “We have followed the wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and we tried to establish a direct relation between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government, which we hope will eventually lead to a negotiation,” he said.
To a question whether the visit just concluded could be described as ‘successful’, the Special Envoy said the ‘recent conduct of the Chinese has been very positive’. “Considering the changes that have taken place in China during the 16th Communist Party and 10th National People’s Congress we feel it is encouraging to be able to continue the visit,” he added. He also mentioned that the Chinese have explicitly acknowledged the initiatives taken by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration in creating the right atmosphere in ‘building trust and confidence’.
Mr. Lodi Gyari told the media that both sides have accepted the difficulties that lay ahead. He said , “our Chinese counterpart has said our past relation has taken many twists and turns.”
Mr Lodi Gyari thinks the duration of nine months between the two visits is a short time in the light of the changes that have occurred in the Chinese leadership and outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Symptom (SARS) in China. He remains optimistic about ‘more visit to take place down the line’.