Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay with the delegation from Swiss parliament at Kashag Secretariat, 28 March 2017.

Dharamshala: Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay yesterday received a six-member delegation of Swiss parliamentarians at the Kashag secretariat and discussed important issues on Tibet and the geopolitical concerns associated with the Tibet issue.
The Tibetan political leader urged the MPs to support China-Tibet dialogue based on CTA’s Middle Way Policy. He pointed that the Middle Way Policy calls for genuine autonomy for Tibetan people under the PRC, and does not contradict the One China Policy.
Sikyong recalled the remarks made by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on encouraging dialogue between Beijing and Representatives of Tibet’s ‘Government in Exile’ and/or the Dalai Lama. Tillerson had stressed, in connection with his Senate confirmation hearing, had said he will “encourage Beijing and the Governments of all nations to respect and preserve the distinct religious, linguistic, and cultural identity of the Tibetan people worldwide.”
He also called their attention on environmental issues such as depletion of Tibet’s ecology and its looming impacts on Asia and Europe.
In light of these ongoing environmental and human rights violation in Tibet under the Chinese government, Sikyong informed that Kashag has declared 2017 as ‘year of campaign’ to galvanise the global Tibetan movement to resolve the Tibet issue.
Sikyong also apprised the delegation on CTA’s year of gratitude campaign in 2018, which will highlight Tibetan people’s immense gratitude towards governments around the world, particularly India for hosting His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community for the last sixty years.
The Swiss parliamentary delegation expressed their wholehearted support for dialogue between Beijing and envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for peaceful resolution of the Tibetan issue. They also expressed support for women empowerment initiatives led by the Kashag.
The Parliamentary delegation include Maya Gref, MP, Green Party, Rosmarie Quadranti, MP, Civil Democratic Party, Marianne Streiff, MP, EPP, Prisca Birrer Heimo, MP, Social Democratic Party, Barbara Gysi, MP, SP SG, Gina Ruetschi, MP, District Council: KR.
President of Swiss Tibet Friendship, Thomas Buchli, Vice President Lhawang Norkhangsar, Pasang Bartschi, board member, Swiss Tibet Friendship, Members of Tibetan parliament: Ven Thupten Wangchen and Jampa Tsering Samdho, Representative Ngodup Dorjee, Office of Tibet Geneva, Garne Deki, Executive member of Tibetan community in Switzerland and Liechtenstein were also present with the delegation.

Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay with the swiss parliamentary delegation, members of Tibetan parliament from Europe, Ven Thupten Wangchen and Jampa Tsering Samdho, President and board members of Swiss Tibet Friendship and representative of Tibetan community in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.