US officials meet Dalai Lama, reaffirm support for Tibetan rights

By Faruk Zorlu

Senior US officials met with Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama in New York City, conveying President Biden's wishes and reaffirming US commitment to Tibetan human rights and cultural preservation.

The meeting between Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights Uzra Zeya and the Dalai Lama took place in New York City, marking a significant diplomatic engagement focused on Tibetan issues, according to the State Department.

During the meeting, Zeya conveyed President Joe Biden's best wishes for "His Holiness’s good health and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to advancing the human rights of Tibetans and supporting efforts to preserve their distinct historical, linguistic, cultural, and religious heritage," it added.

The meeting, also attended by Kelly Razzouk, special assistant to the president and senior director for Democracy and Human Rights at the National Security Council, underscored the Biden administration’s ongoing commitment to supporting the Tibetan cause.

The undersecretary praised the Dalai Lama's "lifelong dedication to promoting nonviolence and compassion."

Zeya also took "the opportunity to discuss with His Holiness Tibetan cultural preservation, the United States’ ongoing efforts to address human rights abuses inside Tibet, and support for resuming dialogue between the PRC and His Holiness and his representatives."

China warned the US not to permit the Dalai Lama to engage in "separatist activities" during his visit, following a meeting between the Tibetan leader and senior American officials in New York, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in a press conference on Thursday.

Beijing lodged formal protests, expressing strong opposition to any official interactions with the Dalai Lama, Ning.

The Tibet Plateau, known as the "roof of the world," covers an area of around 2.5 million square kilometers (965,255 square miles) with an average elevation of roughly 14,370 feet (4,380 meters) above sea level.

In 1951, China established sovereignty over Tibet through the 17-Point Agreement, calling it a "peaceful liberation."

After a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, the Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala in northern India, where he set up the Tibetan parliament and government in exile.

China does not recognize this government, claiming that Tibet has been part of China since the 13th century, while the Dalai Lama claims that Tibet was an entirely independent state when the Chinese People's Liberation Army entered.