Washington: The US has appointed Indian-origin diplomat Uzra Zeya as its special coordinator for the issues of Tibet. He has been tasked with carrying forward “concrete talks” between China and the Dalai Lama or his representatives for an agreement on Tibet.
Ujra Jaya, who was also posted in New Delhi in her diplomatic career, resigned from the Foreign Service in 2018 against the policies of the then US President Donald Trump. She is also the Under Secretary for Civil Defense, Democracy, and Human Rights.
As the US Special Coordinator for Tibet Issues, Jaya will coordinate US government policies, programs, and projects related to Tibet’s affairs in line with the Tibetan Policy and Cooperation Act of 2020.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “I have nominated Ujra Zeya, Under Secretary of State for Civil Defense, Democracy and Human Rights, as the UN Special Coordinator for Tibet Issues. She will take up this important responsibility with immediate effect.
According to the State Department, “she will promote, without preconditions, substantive dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama, his representatives or democratically elected Tibetan leaders in support of an agreement on Tibet.”
During the hearing related to the confirmation of his name on this post, Jaya had told the MPs that his grandfather was a freedom fighter in India. Jaya graduated from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
China is accused of suppressing cultural and religious freedom in Tibet. However, China denies these allegations. The Tibet issue has not been discussed in recent years between representatives of China and the Dalai Lama.
