Tibetan MPs to meet British MPs at Westminster whilst the Dalai Lama’s envoys meet Chinese government officials in Shanghai
London, UK, 4 July – Whilst envoys of the Dalai Lama, Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyalsten, are meeting representatives of the Chinese authorities in Shanghai for what appears to be the sixth round of Sino-Tibetan dialogue, the Tibet Society of the UK welcomed six Tibetan MPs to London on Tuesday. The four-day visit is the first leg of an exchange programme initiated by the Tibet Society that will see British MPs visit the Tibetan parliament in exile based in Dharamsala, India in October.
The Tibetan MPs have a full programme arranged at Westminster including meeting the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, deputy speaker, Sir Alan Haselhurst, members of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet and attending a reception held in their honour. On Friday they will be shadowing MPs Norman Baker, Fabian Hamilton, Jeremy Corbyn and Emiliy Thornberry in their constituencies.
Philippa Carrick, speaking on behalf of the Tibet Society, said “We are very proud and excited to welcome the delegation of Tibetan MPs to London. This exchange programme is vital to further the just cause of Tibet and to give wider understanding of the great steps the Tibetan exiled community has taken in establishing democratic processes that I hope one day will be practised inside Tibet. That this visit coincides with a sixth meeting between envoys of His Holiness and Chinese officials in China perhaps points to a glimmer of hope that a political solution can be found for Tibet. This is an ideal opportunity for the British government to positively and publicly show its support for Tibet by reaffirming and acting on its stated policy and urge the Chinese Government to engage with the representatives of the Dalai Lama, without preconditions, to find a legitimate, long-term solution which is acceptable to the Tibetans.”
Commenting on the UK visit, Tsering Tashi, Representative of H.H. the Dalai Lama for Northern Europe, Poland and the Baltic Countries, based at the Office of Tibet in London said “The Tibetan MPs are looking forward to interacting with members of the British parliament and to having the opportunity to explain how Tibetans in exile are enjoying democratic rights even whilst in exile. I appreciate the enthusiasm shown by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet and individual MPs in making the Tibetan MPs trip a worthwhile one and hope it will be a good learning and sharing of their respective democratic parliamentary experiences”.
Contact:
Philippa Carrick, Tibet Society 020 7272 1414 / 07941 105485
Fredrick Hyde-Chambers (Chairman) 07766 154035
