Top US diplomat in Delhi meets Dalai Lama representative Ngodup, days after Blinken meet
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The meeting comes even as the US has increased its engagement with the Tibetan leadership in exile while pointing to increased human rights violations by the Chinese communist party in Tibet and Xinjiang.
Top US diplomat in Delhi, Atul Keshap, on Tuesday, met the representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Ngodup Dongchung, in Delhi. During the meeting, US Chargé d’Affaires Atul extended support for the preservation of "Tibetans' unique cultural and linguistic identities".
In a tweet, he said, "Enjoyed meeting with Ngodup Dongchung, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The US supports religious freedom and the preservation of Tibetans' unique cultural and linguistic identities and respects the @DalaiLama’s vision of equal rights for all people.
Enjoyed meeting with Ngodup Dongchung, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The U.S. supports the religious freedom and the preservation of Tibetans' unique cultural and linguistic identities, and respects the @DalaiLama’s vision for the equal rights of all people. pic.twitter.com/zQoiMGAbLy
— CdA Amb Atul Keshap (@USAmbIndia) August 10, 2021
The meeting comes even as the US has increased its engagement with the Tibetan leadership in exile while pointing to increased human rights violations by the Chinese communist party in Tibet and Xinjiang.
"The meeting happened this morning. It was about getting a better understanding of the Tibetan issue, especially with freedom of religious rights and what is happening inside Tibet. For better understanding, " Tenzin Lekshay, Spokesperson for the Tibet Govt in exile, told WION.
The Atul-Ngodup meeting lasted for one hour. The meeting comes days after US Secretary of State Blinken had met him during his one-day Delhi visit. During the visit, Blinken also met members of civil society, which included Geshe Dorjee Damdul, Director of Tibet House, the Cultural Centre of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The picture was tweeted from the US Secretary of State's Twitter handle as well.
I was pleased to meet civil society leaders today. The U.S. and India share a commitment to democratic values; this is part of the bedrock of our relationship and reflective of India’s pluralistic society and history of harmony. Civil society helps advance these values. pic.twitter.com/5NL2WiQ13o
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) July 28, 2021
In an interview with WION later, Dorji expresses concern about the Chinese Communist Party. He said, "communist Chinese (Chinese communist party) CCP is very unpredictable and can not be trusted. What can happen to the world? We never know."
Geshe Dorjee Damdul is considered close to the 14th Dalai Lama & has accompanied him on various visits & acted as his interpreter. In November, the White House invited Lobsang Sangay, the then President of the Tibetan Govt in Exile.
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