31 July 1997

Tibetans welcome US government action

"We are extremely delighted with the announcement by the US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright regarding the creation of a special coordinator for Tibetan affairs within the State Department," said Kalon Sonam Topgyal, chairperson of the Kashag, the highest executive body of the exile Tibetan government.

"The creation of the special coordinator for Tibetan affairs within the State Department comes as a big morale booster to the six million Tibetan people throughout the world," said Kalon Sonam Topgyal.

"It's our sincere hope that the special coordinator's position will strengthen the efforts of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to peacefully solve the Tibetan issue and preserve and promote the distinct cultural and ethnic identity of the Tibetan people and to help regain the lost freedoms and rights of Tibet," said the Kalon.

"The US government's action will send a strong message to the Chinese leadership in Beijing that it's actions in Tibet will be watched evermore closely by the international community," said Kalon Sonam Topgyal.

Department of Information and International Relations, Dharamsala.