By Tenzin Dharpo

DHARAMSHALA, Oct. 12: Following the conclusion of the maiden ‘five fifty vision conference last week, the exile Tibetan government, known officially as the Central Tibetan Administration, held two key meetings to deliberate and discuss the strategic recommendations and possible amendments gathered from the conference.

The annual meeting of the Representatives of CTA’s missions and the 29th meeting of the Task Force on Sino-Tibet Negotiations were both held for two days each here since Monday.

The task force meeting was attended by 18 members and four special invitees and discussed on the recommendations gathered from the ‘five fifty meet’ especially concentrating on the issue of negotiations to resolve the Tibetan issue, CTA run Tibet.net reported.

“While expressing continued commitment to the Middle Way Approach to resolve the long standing issue of Tibet and to enable negotiations between envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the representatives of the Chinese leadership, Dr. Sangay heard suggestions, advice and way-forward strategy on future course of action in light of the upcoming 19th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party,” the report stated.

The OOT representatives meeting also discussed rigorously on the notes from the ‘five fifty meet’ in addition to policy directives and planning for the “Thank you year” in 2018. “The meeting deliberated on various agendas of the Central Tibetan Administration including the deliberations of the Five-Fifty Forum as well as discussions and recommendations on administration and activities of the OOTs and a follow-up action on the previous annual meeting of the representatives,” the report stated.

The ‘Five and Fifty’ vision, one of Dr. Lobsang Sangay’s flagship policies, was introduced in May last year at the swearing-in ceremony for his second term as the Sikyong or President, the head of the Tibetan polity. The policy calls for a revitalization of the Tibetan people’s struggle to seek genuine autonomy through the ‘Middle Way Approach’ in the next five years from Beijing while strategizing to embolden and sustain the Tibetan movement over the next fifty years as a contingency plan.

Last week over 185 “influential” participants, including 82 non-Tibetans from 21 countries converged in Dharamshala for the three-day meet on the 5/50 agenda.