The head of the Tibetan government-in-exile Lobsang Sangay met special coordinator for Tibetan issues, Robert Destro, on Thursday marking the first meeting between the president of the Central Tibetan Administration with that of the US state department.
Sangay shared a picture with Destro on Facebook. “Great honor to meet with the Special Coordinator on Tibetan Issues Robert A Destro. This is the first time in six decades, a Sikyong (President) of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) was formally invited inside the State Department,” Sangay said in the post.
Sangay also thanked US secretary of state Mike Pompeo for appointing Destro, who is also a human rights official. He said, “I want to thank the State Department for acknowledging the democratically elected leader of CTA and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for approving the visit. History is made today!”
The United States had on Thursday confirmed the appointment of Robert Destro as the special coordinator for Tibetan issues. The move is aimed to create pressure on China regarding the autonomy of Tibet and bring issues concerning human rights and forced labour in the region to the fore.
Following Destro’s appointment, Pompeo criticised the Chinese government in a statement, which was accessed by Bloomberg.
“The United States remains concerned with the PRC’s repression of the Tibetan community, including the lack of meaningful autonomy, the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibetan areas, and severe restrictions on Tibetans’ religious freedom and cultural traditions within China,” Pompeo said. – Hindustan Times
