Below is an article published on the International Campaign for Tibet, presenting the responsibilities of Mr. Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari as special envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

As the special envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari has two distinct but related responsibilities. First, he has been designated by the Dalai Lama to lead the Tibetan delegation in the difficult, high-stakes negotiations with the Chinese leadership about the future of Tibet.

And as executive chairman of the board for the International Campaign for Tibet, an independent Washington-based human rights advocacy group, Gyari is trying to broaden and deepen international support for the Tibetan cause.

In an interview at his office in Dupont Circle, Gyari said he receives support and encouragement from the Dalai Lama, who is keenly interested in both projects and views them as part of a comprehensive strategy to achieve autonomy for Tibet within China.

"I believe in this process as the best solution for the Tibetan people. I believe this is a historic opportunity for the Tibetan people because we have the right leader and the right circumstances," Gyari said. "If the leadership in Beijing has the political will, I believe the differences can be resolved. From one angle, the gap we're trying to bridge may seem too vast. But from another angle, it may not only be bridgeable, but not that far to bridge. The Dalai Lama looks at it from that angle and believes it is achievable. He is a very practical, far-sighted man."

Gyari said that neither he nor the Dalai Lama expected the current round of negotiations with Chinese leaders, which resumed in 2002, to be easy. "We knew it would be difficult. His Holiness did not expect me and my delegation to go to China for four or five trips and return with an agreement. We are still willing to spend a lot of time and energy. But it is now high time to deliver some substantive result," Gyari said. "On that goal, I have not delivered for His Holiness and my fellow Tibetans. And my Chinese friends have not been much help. I'm eagerly awaiting the next round of talks."

Calm, soft-spoken and resolute, Gyari said his love for the people of Tibet and his respect for the Dalai Lama keep him tightly focused and utterly determined in his work (see also Nov. 17, 2005, column of the Diplomatic Pouch).

"It would be irresponsible of me to do many other things. I should not treat this work as part time, because on this task, which was given to me by His Holiness, hinges the future of the Tibetan people and this great and wonderful civilization that has so much to offer everyone," he said.

Gyari was born in 1949 to a nomadic family in Nyarong, Tibet, where he received a traditional monastic education after being recognized as a reincarnated lama. His parents were involved in the resistance against the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1950. In 1959, following the escape of the Dalai Lama from Tibet, Gyari's family fled into exile in India.

Gyari vividly recalled fleeing his home under the cover of darkness and in the midst of a snowstorm. His party was pursued by Chinese troops and he witnessed several violent gun battles. On two occasions, men riding ahead of him were shot and tumbled from their horses to the ground.

Once Gyari's group reached central Tibet, they completed the final phase of their journey on foot across the Himalayas. He remembered arriving in Tawang, India, with only one shoe.

Although he has been away from Tibet physically for most of his life, Gyari's native land rarely leaves his thoughts. A leader of the Tibetan exile community for several decades, Gyari served as editor for the Tibetan Freedom Press and founded the Tibetan Review, the first English-language journal published by Tibetans in exile.

He was also one of the founding members of the Tibetan Youth Congress, an organization of more than 10,000 members advocating the independence of Tibet. He served as president of the congress in 1975, and later was elected to the Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies, the Tibetan Parliament in exile, eventually becoming its chairman. He then served as deputy cabinet minister with responsibilities under the Council for Religious Affairs and the Department of Health, as well as senior cabinet minister for the Department of Information and International Relations in 1988, serving in effect as foreign minister.

Gyari speaks with respect and affection for the people of Tibet, but also with palpable sadness about their harsh fate. He said the death of his father several years ago underscored the suffering of thousands of Tibetans who have been separated from their homeland over the past half century. "For some time after my father died I felt so much bitterness. What was my father's crime? That he was a Tibetan? Is that a crime?"

With an average elevation of 14,000 feet, Tibet is the highest country on earth. Five of Asia's major rivers have their headwaters in Tibet, and nearly half of the world's population lives downstream.

For centuries, Tibet-a vast, high-altitude plateau between China and India-was isolated from the rest of the world. It had a widely dispersed population of nomads, farmers, monks and traders. It also had its own national flag, its own currency, and a distinct culture and religion.

In 1949, China's new communist government invaded Tibet and soon overpowered its army and a resistance movement. Tibetans rose up against China in 1959, but the uprising was crushed and the Dalai Lama escaped to India, followed by more than 80,000 Tibetans. Tens of thousands of Tibetans were killed or imprisoned.

Out of a population of 6 million, about 130,000 Tibetans live in exile, three-quarters of them in India. Nearly every day, Tibetans arrive in India after crossing the Himalayas to join other exiles in Dharamsala, the headquarters of the Dalai Lama's government.

Now 71, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, is one of the world's most respected holy men. His philosophy of nonviolence has won him respect in much of the world and a Nobel Peace prize in 1989.

But his political plan to negotiate with the Chinese government has been viewed skeptically in some quarters, including among many Tibetans. More than a decade ago, the Dalai Lama abandoned the goal of full independence for Tibet in favor of autonomy-a proposal that he believes is consistent with the Chinese constitution. The Dalai Lama's Strasbourg proposal of 1988 conceded Tibet's right to independence by calling for the "genuine autonomy" of Tibet within the framework of the People's Republic of China.

Gyari said he once was a strong advocate of complete independence for Tibet, but now believes the Dalai Lama's vision is practical and achievable. "No other Tibetan leader would have dared to give up our right to nationhood. The Dalai Lama proposed a ‘middle way’ approach-to remain a part of China. He was willing to be unpopular with some of his people. He is a leader. He is not a follower," Gyari said. In 2002, a dialogue between the Dalai Lama's envoys and Beijing resumed after more than a decade of stalemate. Gyari said the talks are tough and that a breakthrough is not in sight-but he vows to keep pressing forward.

"I've dealt with the Chinese for several decades and I'm not disheartened. We're now discussing substantive and specific issues which can bring about a mutually beneficial solution. I have no reason to doubt the process. I hope when we have the next round we can make some substantive progress. His Holiness is under a lot of pressure from his people about the wisdom of engaging the Chinese in these talks."

Gyari said he has been surprised and disappointed that the Chinese have been publicly critical of the Dalai Lama. "It's one thing to be critical of issues, but it's another thing to speak of His Holiness in a derogatory and personal way. This does not make the Chinese look very good. His Holiness is so respected and admired around the world. The world knows the Dalai Lama far better than the Chinese do. He is the most popular and the most revered Dalai Lama in history."

Gyari acknowledged that the slow pace of talks have spawned two schools of thought about the Sino-Tibetan dialogue. Some argue that the Chinese want an agreement with Tibet and are taking the negotiations seriously. Others say the Chinese are just stalling, giving the appearance of sincerity, but are in fact in no hurry to reach any kind of deal.

Gyari said he wants to believe the Chinese are serious about reaching an agreement over Tibet, but he does need to see tangible progress soon. "If my friends in Beijing are sincere, they need to start making some accommodations. At the least, they need to make it clear that they are not just trying to gain time," he said.

"I think some Chinese leaders see the historic opportunity they must seize. They know Tibet has become an international issue," Gyari added. "Because of Tibet, the legitimacy of China will be forever challenged. They know that. There is a group of far-sighted Chinese who want to reach out and find a solution to Tibet. These are patriotic Chinese who truly want to maintain China's unity and integrity and believe an accommodation with the Dalai Lama is an important way to achieve this."

Gyari consults with the Dalai Lama frequently about the Sino-Tibetan negotiations, and he stressed that his leader is very focused on the talks. "This is one issue where the Dalai Lama is totally in charge. He believes it is his moral obligation to the Tibetan people to work on this. For us this is a very serious matter. We are not doing it for any other purpose than finding a solution to the issues. These talks are not for the sake of talks," he said.

Gyari works out of the offices of the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) in downtown Washington. Founded in 1988, the ICT is a nonprofit that works to promote human rights and democratic freedoms for the people of Tibet, with offices in Amsterdam, Berlin and Washington.

The group lobbies Western governments to promote substantive dialogue between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese leadership to resolve the Tibet issue. It also supports increased development assistance to the Tibetan people, both the community in exile and those living in Tibet, to help preserve Tibetan identity.

Gyari works actively in the United States and Europe, arguing that support for Tibet from the United States and European Union is crucial. He noted that the U.S. Congress voted this year to give the Dalai Lama the Congressional Gold Medal, a prestigious award that has also been given to such people as Winston Churchill, Pope John Paul II, Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa.

Gyari said he is constantly trying to deepen his understanding of China and he makes it a point to meet with Chinese students, scholars and business leaders to learn more about the country. "I must understand the Chinese better. We must try to put ourselves in their shoes. It's very important to look at things from the Chinese point of view-to understand their doubts and misgivings."

Gyari lives in McLean, Va., with his wife, Dawa Chokyi, and their six children. He said he has no plans to slow down or back off until his people have achieved their goal of autonomy.

"We don't have economic, military or political power. Our only strength is moral strength. We will not barter that one asset away. Our arsenal is not rockets or AK-47s. It's our moral strength."

John Shaw is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.