dodis.ch/30916

Der schweizerische Botschafter in New Delhi, J.-A. Cuttat, an den Dalai Lama, T. Gyatso1

In the month of September, 1963 I was informed by Your Holiness’ office in Delhi that it was Your Holiness’ wish to send a personal representative to Europe2. I was given to understand that his task would be to take care of the moral welfare of the Tibetan refugees living in Europe.

Your holiness suggested that this representative take up his residence in Geneva and be considered and treated in his capacity as a private person. My Government is willing, in principle, to approve of this. However, I have been instructed3 to bring to the knowledge of Your Holiness that this approval of my Government is subject to the condition that Your representative’s activities will remain strictly limited to the purely religious and cultural aspects of the Tibetan communities in Europe. The Swiss tradition in the field of sheltering refugees has always exacted that they and their representatives refrain from any political activity whatsoever.

I would be extremely grateful to be informed whether Your Holiness would be willing to impress upon the possible future representative in Geneva the absolute necessity to act in conformity with the above mentioned rule. On receipt of Your Holiness’ guarantee in this sense I will gladly recommend to the Swiss Government to give its consent to the envisaged appointment.

Your Holiness would oblige me if I could receive this answer within two or three weeks’ time.