(19 Jun 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dharamshala, India – 19 June 2024
1. Wide of the US delegation sitting on stage as the President of the Central Tibetan Administration, Penpa Tsering, speaks from podium
2. People holding US and Indian flags as they watch event
3. Wide of Penpa Tsering on stage
4. Wide of audience
5. Various of Penpa Tsering on stage with members of US delegation
6. US delegation watching performers
7. Republican Rep. Michael McCaul, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi watching performances
8. Various of performances
9. US delegation on stage
10. McCaul speaking from podium
11. Close of person holding Indian and US flags
12. Pelosi speaking from podium
13. Close of person holding US and Tibetan flags
14. US delegation on stage
15. Woman holding US flag
16. Various of the delegation members leaving
17. Man holding US and Tibetan flags
STORYLINE:
A bipartisan United States congressional delegation addressed supporters during their visit to India’s Dharamshala on Wednesday.
It comes as the high-level delegation, led by Republican Rep. Michael McCaul and including Democratic former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, met with the Dalai Lama at his residence on Wednesday, sparking anger from China which views the exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism as a dangerous separatist.
The group arrived on Tuesday at the hillside town, which the Nobel Peace Prize laureate has made his headquarters since fleeing from Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.
There, they met with officials from the Tibetan government-in-exile, which wants more autonomy for Tibet.
Beijing doesn’t recognize said administration and hasn’t held any dialogue with the representatives of the Dalai Lama since 2010.
After meeting the spiritual leader on Wednesday, the seven U.S. lawmakers addressed hundreds who had gathered at a monastery just outside the 88-year-old Dalai Lama’s residence, waving American and Tibetan flags.
They told the crowd that a key focus of their visit was to underscore the Resolve Tibet Act, passed by the U.S. Congress last week, and aims to encourage dialogue between the Dalai Lama and Chinese officials with the hopes of finding a peaceful resolution between Tibet and Beijing.
The bill should now be sent to the White House for President Joe Biden to sign into a law.
The Tibetan spiritual leader has a history of engaging with U.S. officials, including American presidents — from Jimmy Carter to Barack Obama — except for Donald Trump. He has yet to meet Biden since he took office in 2021.
The Dalai Lama is expected to travel to the U.S. on Thursday for medical treatment for his knees, but it is unclear if he will meet any officials while there.
Meanwhile, Beijing has repeatedly asked the U.S. not to interfere with Tibetan affairs and has argued that the people of Tibet have enjoyed social stability and economic growth under its rule.
While India considers Tibet to be part of China, it hosts Tibetan exiles.
AP Video filmed by: Ashwini Bhatia
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