INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET, WASHINGTON, D.C

For Immediate Release Contact: Mary Beth Markey

July 30, 1997 Bhuchung Tsering 202-785-1515

The Clinton Administration is establishing a new position in the Department of State to coordinate Tibetan affairs, according to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. "We are extremely pleased with this news which reflects Secretary Albright's positive style of working together with the Congress," said Lodi Gyari, President of the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT).

The Administration's decision is the result of a compromise between somewhat stronger language originally proposed by the Senate and House foreign relations committees. The announcement gives credence to commitments made to the Dalai Lama by the Administration that a central objective of U.S. policy towards China is to promote dialogue between the P.R.C. and the Dalai Lama. The U.S. is the first country to establish such a position.

These commitments were made in April of this year when the Dalai Lama met with President Clinton, Vice President Gore, Secretary Albright and other administration officials. His consistent approach toward seeking talks with China to reach a mutually beneficial resolution has increasingly gained the respect and trust of Administration officials. President Clinton and Secretary Albright pledged to make Tibet a more important issue in bi-lateral relations with China, and to raise the issue of negotiations with Chinese President Jiang Zemin during Jiang's upcoming state visit to Washington, which is expected to be in late October.

China is expected to denounce the Administration's plans to establish this post, even though there is rapidly growing support for talks with the Dalai Lama among Chinese liberals and intellectuals both in China and abroad.

Details of the mandate of the Special Coordinator are still being discussed. However, it is clear that the central objective of the position is to promote dialogue to resolve the issue of Tibet, and to vigorously promote human rights, cultural and religious freedom of Tibetans. Additional duties and responsibilities of the Special Coordinator are also expected to track closely the original language proposed by Congress. Despite confusion in the media, Congress never proposed that this position bestow any diplomatic recognition on Tibet or create an Ambassador to Tibet or to Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan government in Exile.

"This is particularly gratifying for ICT because we have worked with Congress and the Administration for a number of years to make this a reality," said Mary Beth Markey, Director of Government Relations for ICT.