Tibetan government-in-exile president Lobsang Sangay visits White House first time in last 6 decades
<p class="p1">Recognizing the Central Tibet Administration (CTA), the US State Department formally welcomed Sikyong Dr. Lonsang Sangay, president of the CTA yesterday.</p>
<p class="p1">“Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay entered the United States White House this afternoon — a historic feat. This is the first time in the last 6 decades the head of the Central Tibetan Administration has been invited into the White House,” said an official press release issued by the CTA.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">It is a great honor to be the first political head of the Central Tibetan Administration to formally enter the White House <a href="https://t.co/nbdVONjlmg">https://t.co/nbdVONjlmg</a></p>
— Lobsang Sangay (@Drlobsangsangay) <a href="https://twitter.com/Drlobsangsangay/status/1329930389872250884?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p class="p1">Last month, US assistant secretary Robert Destro met Dr. Sangay and invited him to the White House. Destro is also appointed as a special coordinator for Tibetan issues.</p>
<p class="p1">Previously, on many occasions, “CTA was denied entry to the US State Department and White House.” The US official stated that US government does not recognize the Tibetan government in exile. “Today’s visit amounts to an acknowledgment of both the democratic system of the CTA and its political head,” the release said.</p>
<img class=" wp-image-26784 aligncenter" src="https://indianarrative.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Sanjay-Lobsang-at-White-House-280×300.jpeg" alt="Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay and Representative Tsering outside the White House compound after the meeting." width="402" height="431" />
<p class="p1">“Dr. Sangay met with White House officials. Prior to this meeting, Dr. Sangay had met with White House officials in undisclosed meetings and locations over a dozen times in the past 10 years since he became the CTA’s Sikyong in 2011,” the release further elaborated.</p>
<p class="p1">The meeting between the two countries is not only historic but, also sets a clear tone for the Chinese government, which has been illegally occupying Tibet territories. “This unprecedented meeting perhaps will set an optimistic tone for CTA participation with US officials and be more formalized in the coming years,” the release added.</p>.