DHARAMSHALA, September 5: A three-day meeting of the Tibetan task force on Negotiations began here today at the exile headquarters of Tibetan government with addition of six new faces.
The six new members are former Kalon Tripa Professor Samdhong Rinpoche; Lobsang Nyandak, Executive Director of Tibet Fund and former Kalon; Tashi Phuntsok, Secretary of Department of Information and International Relations; Kunga Tashi, Chinese Liaison Officer at Office of Tibet, New York; Phagpa Tsering, Deputy Director of Tibet Policy Institute and Sonam Tsering Frasi, former Tibetan Parliamentarian from Europe.
The last meeting held from December 31, 2012 to January 1, 2013, also discussed on the “urgent need for peaceful resolution” of the Tibet issue and “procedure for appointment of envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama”.
The 26th Tibetan Task Force on Negotiation meeting, fourth since Dr. Lobsang Sangay took over the office of the Tibetan PM, “will discuss and review overall prevailing situation inside Tibet and the prospects of dialogue process.”
The Task Force on Negotiation was set up in 1999 to assist the Dalai Lama’s envoys in the dialogue process with the Chinese government.
The last round of talks between the Envoys of the Dalai Lama and representatives from the Chinese United Front Work Department was held three years ago in January 2010. Since then, China has refused to meet Tibetan representatives.
In May last year, the two Envoys of the Dalai Lama, who had led nine rounds of talks with China since 2002, resigned citing the deteriorating situation inside Tibet and their “utter frustration” over the lack of positive response from China.
