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Washington, D.C., September 7, 2001--In an exclusive interview with VOA's Tibetan Service, following taking the oath of office on September 5, the first elected Chief Minister of the Dalai Lama's "government-in-exile" Samdhong Rinpoche said he would look for new means to pursue the Dalai Lama's "middle way" approach to China on the issue of Tibet.  That approach has been to seek what the Dalai Lama has called "genuine autonomy" for Tibet rather than independence from China.

Samdhong Rinpoche took the oath of office in Dharamsala, India, after winning the Tibetans’ first-ever election for high office on July 29.  He is a monk and the former head of the “government-in-exile’s” parliament.  Balloting took place throughout India, Nepal, and other countries abroad where Tibetans now live.

As the new Chief Minister, Rinpoche is functioning as the sole political head of the exile government during a transition period.  Last year, the position was changed from an appointed position to an elected one that will give the Chief Minister a more direct hold on the political reins of the Tibetan exile administration and government. Rinpoche will nominate seven new cabinet officers.

In the VOA interview, Samdhong Rinpoche told VOA’s Tsering Migmar that he would consider appointing whomever he believed would handle the positions best, no matter whether they had previously been officials in the Tibetan administration in Dharamsala or not.  His nominations will be taken up for discussion by the Tibetan People’s Assembly, which will meet in Dharamsala, beginning on September 19.  Nominees  will either be approved unanimously or brought to a vote by the Assembly, if objections to a nominated individual are raised. Samdhong Rinpoche also said he was set to look for new ways to make the exile government function, and serve its constituents better.

The Voice of America’s Tibetan Service began programming to Tibet and elsewhere in the region just over ten years ago.  The Service currently broadcasts four hours a day to the region, providing its listeners with international and U.S. news, as well as news of Tibet and the Himalayan region.  Listeners in Tibet can also tune in VOA's Special English.  These programs, which are written with only a 1500-word vocabulary and read on the air at a slower pace, are designed for those learning English.

The Voice of America is a multimedia international broadcasting service funded by the U.S. Government. VOA broadcasts over 900 hours of news, informational, educational, and cultural programming every week to a worldwide audience of 91 million.  Programs are produced and broadcast in English and 52 other languages.

For additional information, please contact the Office of External Affairs at (202) 619-2538 or send email to pubaff@voa.gov.