NEPAL: DAS CAMP AND INDIAN AMBASSADOR SARAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000864

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS AND PRM/ANE
LONDON FOR POL/GURNEY
NSC FOR MILLARD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2014
TAGS: PREF PREL NP BT
SUBJECT: NEPAL: DAS CAMP AND INDIAN AMBASSADOR SARAN
DISCUSS BHUTANESE REFUGEES

REF: NEW DELHI 2730

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Janet Bogue for reason 1.5 (B & D).


1. (C) On May 6, Deputy Assistant Secretary Don Camp, Charge
d'Affaires Janet Bogue and Indian Ambassador Shyam Saran met
on the sidelines of the Nepal Development Forum to discuss
the current political situation and the value of reinforcing
each other's strong and consistent messages to both the King
and political parties (reported septel). At the end of the
meeting, Ambassador Saran made it a point to raise the
Bhutanese refugee issue, specifically with regard to third
country resettlement.


2. (C) Ambassador Saran stated that he had heard from the
Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) that the U.S.
Government planned to offer resettlement to "some" Bhutanese
refugees. He expressed a concern that any efforts in this
regard would interrupt the process underway. DAS Camp
assured Saran that the USG did not plan to offer resettlement
until the Bhutanese Government began repatriating refugees.
Camp promised to consult with the Government of India as this
process moved forward. Ambassador Saran indicated that Joint
Secretary Ranjit Rae planned to go to Thimpu next month and

SIPDIS
would encourage the Government of Bhutan to take steps to
move beyond the current impasse and reinstate the
verification process (reftel).


3. (U) DAS Don Camp cleared on this cable.
BOGUE