"The Dalai Lama wants to shift the global dialogue surrounding Tibet and its independence to one that focuses on climate change in the Himalayas instead, according to a conversation noted in a leaked cable on WikiLeaks between the U.S. ambassador to India, Timothy Roemer, and the Dalai Lama, as reported by the Asia Times Online.
"The political agenda should be sidelined for five to 10 years and the international community should shift its focus to climate change on the Tibetan plateau. Melting glaciers, deforestation, and increasingly polluted water from mining projects were problems that 'cannot wait,' but the Tibetans could wait five to 10 years for a political solution," said the Dalai Lama.
The issue of climate change in the Himalayas is grave and has prompted the Nepali Cabinet to hold meetings at Everest Base Camp to raise awareness and numerous environmental groups have drawn attention to the issue by staging Everest trash cleanups.
But beyond the issue of climate change, changing the focus of any dialogue on Tibet represents a massive change on the part of the exiled Tibetan government, one that is sometimes seen as soft and is unwelcome by hard-line Tibet activists.
"The Dalai Lama requested the United States consider engaging China on environmental issues in Tibet," said the memo. And "the Dalai Lama's message may signal a broader shift in strategy to reframe the Tibet issue as an environmental concern," said Roemer."-More Here
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