The duo agreed to resume the talks at the Ministerial Joint Committee level AFTER a nine year hiatus, Nepal and Bhutan have agreed to resume bilateral negotiations on the repatriation of Bhutanese refugees that were stalled since 2003. The date for resumption of talks will be decided through diplomatic means. This was agreed upon in a meeting between Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal, and visiting Bhutanese Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley in Kathmandu on Friday at the Prime Minister’s Office. Thinley arrived here on Thursday on a three-day visit in his capacity as the Saarc chair to appraise the achievements of Saarc in recent days. “Both prime ministers agreed to resume stalled talks at the level of the Ministerial Joint Committee to resolve the problems of Bhutanese refugees staying in camps in eastern Nepal,” a foreign ministry statement read.

Of the 107,000 who fled from Bhutan, more than 42,000 have already opted for third country settlement. Sources told the Post that the Bhutanese PM himself offered to resume bilateral negotiations. “We have only one problem in our bilateral relations, the refugee issue. Now, we are capable of handling them,” the Bhutanese PM told PM Khanal. “We covered a wide range of issues. We also discussed how to deepen bilateral relations and strengthen the Saarc cooperation to achieve common aspirations and build understanding,” the Bhutanese PM told the media.

A leader of the Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal has urged the Nepal government to take up the issue to the international level and put pressure on Bhutan. Tek Nath Rijal also claimed that the Bhutanese government is preparing to expel an additional 8 0 , 0 0 0 Bhutanese nationals. Speaking at the Reporter’s Club on Friday, Bhutanese human rights leader Rijal also urged the government not to hold any bilateral talks with Bhutan on the issue. He underscored the need to hold regional-level talks to settle the refugee crisis. He said the issue is not only a problem between Nepal and Bhutan. He added that India’s role is indispensable in resolving the crisis as, he said India did not shelter the refugees but sent them to Nepal. (PR)

Published on: 16 April 2011 | The Kathmandu Post