Washington, November 16: A group of four influential US lawmakers has introduced a resolution in Congress commending the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama for his commitment to global peace and non-violence. The resolution, introduced in the House of Representatives, came weeks after US ambassador-at-large for Religious Freedom Samuel D Brownback travelled to Dharamsala in India and met the Dalai Lama and discussed ways to advance religious freedom.

The 83-year-old Dalai Lama, a globally revered figure and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, lives in exile in the hill town of Dharamsala. He fled to India in early 1959 to escape from the Chinese occupation. The House resolution -- introduced by Congressman Ted Yoho and co-sponsored by Michael McCaul, Chris Smith and George McGovern -- recognises the significance of the genuine autonomy of Tibet and the Tibetan people and the work the 14th Dalai Lama has done to promote global peace, harmony and understanding. Dalai Lama Accorded All Freedom to Carry Out His Religious Activities in India.

The resolution recognizes the cultural and religious significance of a genuinely autonomous Tibet and the deep bond between the American and Tibetan people. It commends the 14th Dalai Lama for his commitment to global peace and non-violence.

It would be beneficial to convene a bipartisan, bicameral forum, either through a joint meeting of Congress, a teleconference broadcast in the Auditorium at the Capitol Visitor Center, or roundtable between members of Congress and the Dalai Lama to discuss peaceful solutions to international conflicts, the resolution notes.

China, which firmly opposes any contact with the Dalai Lama by any foreign official, says the successor to the Dalai Lama must be chosen according to religious rituals and historical conventions as well as the backing from the ruling Communist Party.