Nepal writes to Bhutan for talks, Rizal urges refugees to remain patient

Nepal writes to Bhutan for talks, Rizal urges refugees to remain patient


The government of Nepal has formally sent a letter to the Bhutanese government asking to sit for talks on the Bhutanese refugee issue.
In a letter dispatched by the foreign ministry on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister KP Sharma Oli has urged Bhutanese Prime Minister Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk, who is also the foreign minister, to sit for final talks on the nearly two-decade long refugee issue.
Nepal has proposed the date for talks as November 12 and 13 in Kathmandu. This will be 16th round of bilateral talks between Bhutan and Nepal.
The letter has been sent as per the agreement reached between Oli and Wangchuk to sit for final round of bilateral talks on the refugee issue in New York recently at the sidelines of UN General Assembly session.
Meanwhile, Bhutanese human rights leader Tek Nath Rizal has urged the refugee community not to remain divided merely with the offer of the US government to resettle over 60,000 refugees and remain patient till the government of Nepal takes any decision over the matter.
In a statement issued after the meeting of Bhutanese Movement Steering Committee (BMSC) in Damak on Thursday, Rizal has said since the Nepali government is going to hold talks with the Bhutanese government soon, the refugees should remain calm till that time.
He said, "Nepal government has said that it would hold talks with Bhutan.The UNHCR, America and Nepal government may take decision regarding our future after seeing the result of the bilateral talks."
Rizal is scheduled to travel to Kathmandu Friday to hold meetings government officers regarding the refugee issue.

nepalnews.com ia Oct 12 06