DHARAMSHALA: Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile today wrote to Mr António Guterres, to congratulate him for being elected as the next Secretary-General of the United Nations.

In his congratulatory letter, Speaker said:

“The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, on behalf of Tibetans inside and outside Tibet, sincerely wishing you the heartiest congratulations for you being elected as the ninth United Nation Secretary General.”

“Your long time commitment towards serving poor and needy people have always been appreciated by everyone be it at the level of the Prime Minister of Portugal and particularly as the Head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. You have set an example for the world leaders to be the voice for the voiceless. Now, as the next U.N. Secretary General, you can establish higher degree of services towards desperate people in needs and we hope you will continue to be the voice for the voiceless, underprivileged and repressed people in the world.”

“U.N. Secretary General as stated, is ‘a spokesman for the world’s people in particular the poor and the vulnerable’. And we believe you will also be the voice for the Tibetan people inside Tibet who are still under massive repression from the Chinese Authorities and to raise the issue of Tibet on the table of the United Nations to resolve it at the earliest possible.”

“Wishing you success with your new responsibility at this crucial period of humanity”, Speaker concluded.

Mr António Guterres is a former Prime Minister of Portugal and former head of UNHCR. He will be succeeding current Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon from 1 January 2017.