Today Mr. Lobsang Nyandak Zayul, Minister of Finance and Information and International Relations of Central Tibetan Administration met with Mr. Josep Borrell, President of the European Parliament. He informed the President about the current situation in Tibet, of Tibetans in Exile, of the recent Sino-Tibetan contacts and the past addresses of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the European Parliament. (See picture)
The Minister is in Brussels for four days from July 11th-14th, the main purposes of the visit is to inform the MEPs and the European Commission on the current situation in Tibet and on the ongoing Sino-Tibetan contacts in Tibet. He is also specifically seeking a Budget line in the EU for Tibetans in exile. Among others he had meeting today with Mr. Michael Matthiessen, Personal Representative of High Representative of the European Council Mr. Javier Solana, Mrs. Laima Andrikiene, MEP and Mr. Dirk Sterckx, Chairman of EP China Delegation.
Yesterday the Minister attended the reception hosted by the Bureau du Tibet, Brussels, to celebrate the 70th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, at the prestigious Concert Noble. It was attended by 80 guests, including 8 Members of the European Parliament, 10 Belgian Government officials, 5 Diplomats, 20 staffs from the European Commission, 5 staffs from the European Council, 5 Members of the Belgian Parliament, Tibet supporter and Tibetan Community leaders.
During the reception the Minister addressed the gathering to emphasise the gratitude of the Tibetan people to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and His kind leadership. Mr. Tashi Phuntsok, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Western Europe also outlined briefly the enormous compassion and kindness that His Holiness has bestowed on the Tibetans for the last 70 years. (See picture)
The minister is accompanied in all these programs by the Representative Tashi Phuntsok and Secretary Tenzin Wangmo Dunchu.
