World Leaders Must Meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Says Envoy [Friday, 12 March 2010, 4:39 p.m.]

Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen (L) and Director of the ‘House of Tibet Foundation’ in Barcelona Thubten Wangchen attend a press conference about Tibet on 9 March 2010 in Barcelona, Spain/Getty Images

Dharamshala:
Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen on Thursday said world leaders should follow the
example of US President Barack Obama and meet His Holiness the Dalai
Lama, AFP news agency reported.”President Obama did not
give in to this pressure and met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama,”
Kelsang Gyaltsen told reporters in Madrid after a meeting with Spanish
legislators.”He set an example,” Gyaltsen said. “Now we feel it
is very important that other members of the international community
follow President Obama’s example.”He added: “The more members
of the international community that adopt a similar position, the
greater the chances of having a real impact on the thinking of the
Chinese leadership.”His Holiness the Dalai Lama met with Obama at the White House on 18 February 2010.During
the meeting, Obama “stated his strong support for the preservation of
Tibet’s unique religious, cultural and linguistic identity and the
protection of human rights for Tibetans,” a White House spokesman said.”We
have made it very clear to the Chinese side that His Holiness the Dalai
Lama and the Tibetan government in exile is not seeking separation and
independence but genuine autonomy within the People’s Republic of
China,” said Gyaltsen.”All the efforts of His Holiness the
Dalai Lama have not been sufficient to move the Chinese government to
rethink its position on this matter so the only alternative for the
Tibetans is to appeal to members of the international community,” he
added.Related:MEMORANDUM ON GENUINE AUTONOMY FOR THE TIBETAN PEOPLE NOTE ON THE MEMORANDUM ON GENUINE AUTONOMY FOR THE TIBETAN PEOPLEISSUES RAISED BY ENVOYS DURING THE NINTH ROUND OF DIALOGUE