10. Jun 2009
US pass new Tibet bill
(VOA) The US House of Representatives passed a bill that further advances US policy on Tibet and authorises its funding for wide-ranging programmes that support Tibetans in Tibet. The bill makes several improvements to an already existing Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 and directs the US government to encourage the Tibetan-Chinese dialogue by coordinating with other governments in multilateral efforts in order to reach a negotiated agreement. The bill further directs the US government to require the National Security Council (NSC) to ensure that US policy on Tibet is coordinated with all executive agencies in contact with the Chinese government. It also authorizes the establishment of a Tibet Section within the US Embassy in Beijing, until such time as a consulate is established in Lhasa. The bill requires the new consulate in Lhasa to "provide services to United States citizens travelling to Tibet and to monitor political, economic, and cultural developments in Tibet, including Tibetan areas of Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, and Yunnan provinces". The new provisions were included in "H.R. 2410: the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011".