US CONGRESS IS UNITED ON THE TIBET ISSUE

When Tiananmen Square survivor Wu'er Kaixi met his longtime friend and former speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi in Taiwan three years ago, he brought her chocolates, knowing of her fondness for them from their shared history dating back to China's 1989 crackdown on students.

- BY NAMRATA BIJI AHUJA

A strident critic of Beijing's communist government, Pelosi calls it a thug regime that treats its own citizens in a genocidal manner. Speaking to THE WEEK from Washington, DC, the Democratic stalwart representing California's 11th congressional district says she could not understand how a government could roll tanks over its own young people.

Pelosi says her commitment to human rights deepened after an early meeting with the Dalai Lama, which she describes as a moment that felt like being on top of the world. That encounter, she says, has shaped a lasting personal and spiritual bond. She speaks of the Dalai Lama as someone of great spirituality and values, and says that simply being in his presence is both spiritually and personally enriching. According to Pelosi, her fierce criticism of China's treatment of Tibetans has not gone unnoticed by the Dalai Lama. She recalls how he would tell monks that they had to pray to rid her of her negative attitudes. Pelosi has led bipartisan efforts in Congress to support the Tibetan cause, which she says is one of the rare issues on which the Democrats and the Republicans are in agreement.

She has appreciated India's long-standing support for the Tibetan cause and has thanked the Indian government for the hospitality extended to the Dalai Lama. Reflecting on the Dalai Lama's legacy, Pelosi says, "Only one person can be His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. His legacy will live forever." Edited excerpts from an interview:

Q. What did it mean to you visiting the Dalai Lama last year in India? Could you tell us about your conversation with him?