US special envoy on Tibetan issues arrives in Dharamshala
US special coordinator for Tibetan affairs Uzra Zeya arrived in Dharamshala on Wednesday on a highlevel visitation that signifies Washington’s significant support for the Tibetan issue.
She received a warm welcome from Tibetans, for a first such visit of a higher official from the Biden administration.
Zeya will be here for two days and meet activists and leaders of the exile community here. She will also meet the Dalai Lama on Thursday morning.
This key visit comes shortly after President of Central Tibetan administration Penpa Tsering’s visit to Washington last month. During his visit, Tsering met with the US Special envoy along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
On Tuesday, Zeya held an “engaging” discussion with foreign secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra on regional issues of mutual interest.
“Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra had an engaging discussion with US Under Secretary of State Uzra Zeya @UnderSecStateJ on regional issues of mutual interest,” the Ministry of External Affairs (EAM) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.
Zeya is on a visit to India and Nepal, from May 17-22. She was appointed as the special coordinator for Tibetan issues in December last year.
The International Campaign for Tibet welcomed her appointment and expressed hope that she will work proactively at promoting dialogue between the Dalai Lama’s envoys and the Chinese leadership.
Undersecretary Paula J. Dobriansky had visited Dharamshala in 2006. Undersecretary Maria Otero accompanied Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to President Barack Obama, on a trip to Dharamshala in 2009, while undersecretary Sarah Sewall visited Dharamshala in 2014 and 2016.