US special coordinator for Tibet meets Dalai Lama in Dharamshala, conveys greetings from President Biden

“It is my greatest honour to have this audience with you. I am President (Joe) Biden’s special coordinator for Tibetan issues. It is my greatest honour to be able to be received by you. I bring greetings from our President and from the American people and the best wishes for your good health and our gratitude for your message of peace for the world,” Uzra Zeya told the Tibetan spiritual leader.

The Dalai Lama and the US delegation discussed the traditions of freedom and democracy in the United States of America and India. Talking about the importance of democracy, the Dalai Lama said: “America and India are nations with complete democracy and freedom. In India, all different religious traditions live together. This is called unity.”

The Dalai Lama told the US delegation that “promotion of universal values, promotion of religious harmony, preservation of Tibet’s culture and environment, and revival of ancient Indian wisdom” are the main commitments in his life.

Talking about the Communist Party of China, the Dalai Lama said, “The PRC’s (People’s Republic of China) best efforts have failed to win (over) the Tibetan people and transform their minds. Instead, the thinking of the Chinese people itself is rapidly changing.”

His Holiness the 14th @DalaiLama meets with US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues Uzra Zeya @UnderSecStateJ at his official residence in Dharamshala on 19 May 2022.

Photo | Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama pic.twitter.com/IUIKlmC1CI

— Tibet.net (@NetTibet) May 19, 2022

The US delegation is on a two-day visit to Dharamshala. On May 18, it visited the Central Tibetan Administration’s offices and held discussions with the 16th Kashag (council of ministers) led by Tsering. Later, the delegation also visited the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA), the Tibet Museum and also met with members of the Tibetan civil society.

Earlier, Zeya met with Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra on Tuesday night and said that she discussed “regional stability and opportunities to strengthen US-India cooperation in the Indo-Pacific on shared humanitarian and democratic goals”.

The external affairs ministry (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Wednesday that they had an engaging discussion on “regional issues of mutual interest”. “Look forward to working together on India’s initiatives at the Summit for Democracy, part of our global partnership,” the spokesperson said.