New Delhi: On the sidelines of the ongoing G20 foreign ministers meeting in New Delhi, a high-level Czech Republic delegation led by Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský met with Kalon Norzin Dolma, Minister for the Department of Information and International Relations of the Central Tibetan Administration.
During the meeting, Czech Foreign Minister highlighted the strong bond that the people of Czech Republic and Tibet share. This is evidenced from the enduring friendship shared between President Vaclav Havel and His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the consistent support that Tibetans continue to receive from public, Parliament, Senate and government of the Czech Republic.
At the meeting, among other matters Kalon apprised the visiting Foreign Minister about the CTA’s firm commitment to resolve the long-standing Sino-Tibet conflict through the Middle Way Policy of seeking genuine autonomy through dialogue. Kalon also emphasised on the deteriorating human rights situation inside Tibet with particular reference to environmental degradation, and expressed her serious concern over the PRC’s conduction of mass DNA collection and China’s vast network of colonial style boarding schools being operated in Tibet.
Following the meeting with the Tibetan delegates, the Czech Foreign Minister tweeted, “It was a pleasure to meet again with representatives of Tibetans in exile during my visit to India. The friendship between Václav Havel and His Holiness the Dalai Lama lives on”.
“The Tibetan delegation appreciated the way the Czech society supports the issue of human rights in Tibet and the issue of Tibetan autonomy within China,” Lipavský told Playbook’s own Ketrin Jochecová in a statement. “The human rights situation is not simple.” Lipavský added that the meeting was “a normal visit in line with our well-known and standard politics in the human rights field.”
Kalon Norzin was accompanied by Lobsang Shastri, Representative at the Bureau of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New Delhi and Bureau Secretary Dhundup Gyalpo.
Representative Lobsang Shastri commented on the meeting saying it was a productive exchange of views on mutual priorities and concerns.
“We are deeply encouraged by the continued support of the Czech Republic for Tibet and the Tibetan people”, he added.