BHUTANESE REFUGEES: CANADA CONTINUES TO PRESS FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 002255 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2013 TAGS: BT NP PHUM PREF PREL CA UNHCR SUBJECT: BHUTANESE REFUGEES: CANADA CONTINUES TO PRESS FOR SOLUTION REF: STATE 215687 Classified By: Pol MC Brian Flora for reasons 1.5(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Post shared points contained reftel with Elissa Golberg, DFAIT's Acting Deputy Director for Humanitarian Affairs, on August 7. Golberg said Canada agrees that pressure should continue on both Bhutan and Nepal to agree to a durable solution for the Bhutanese refugees. Canada is going to continue to engage Bhutan and Nepal about the refugee situation bilaterally, Golberg indicated, as it believes a bilateral approach will be more effective at present.(Note: Canada has recently established a mission in Thimphu, and the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi is responsible for Canada's relations with Nepal. End note). ¶2. (C) Canada agrees that UNHCR has an important role to play in the repatriation process, Goldberg said, particularly in ensuring that returns are voluntary, informed, and conducted with full respect for the safety and dignity of the returnees. Golberg said that at an appropriate juncture, Canada could support a multilateral agreement on comprehensive settlement of the refugees, including some third country resettlement. KELLY