Tibetan PM greets next UN Secretary-General

Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay on Thursday greeted the next United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

In his letter, he said: "I, on behalf of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), heartily congratulate you for being elected as the next UN Secretary-General."

"The UN is the leader of universal peace and the promotion of international cooperation for a better future. Being elected as its Secretary-General is a huge responsibility, especially in the face of the crisis that is currently prevalent in the world."

"As the former head of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), we admired your persistent appeal to the international community to uplift the prospects of the downtrodden. Your leadership, particularly over the refugee crisis as a fallout of the conflict in Syria, has touched the conscience of the entire humanity," he said.

Sangay expressed the hope that he would raise his voice on the issue of Tibet and steer the United Nations towards a peaceful resolution of the Tibet issue.

The United Nations has passed three resolutions on Tibet in 1959, 1961 and 1965, voicing "grave concern at the continued violation of the fundamental rights and freedoms of Tibetans" and calling for "respect of the fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people and for their distinctive cultural and religious life".

The Tibetan administration-in-exile is based here.

--IANS

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