Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KATHMANDU544
2007-03-14 11:48:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
NEPAL AND BHUTAN MAY MEET ON BHUTANESE REFUGEES
how-toVZCZCXRO4984 PP RUEHCI RUEHCN DE RUEHKT #0544 0731148 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 141148Z MAR 07 FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5265 INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5120 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 1002 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 5797 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 5489 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 3810 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1145 RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU PRIORITY 0350 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA PRIORITY 3254 RHMFISS/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1545 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 2492
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000544
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NOFORN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2017
TAGS: PREF PREL PGOV BH NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL AND BHUTAN MAY MEET ON BHUTANESE REFUGEES
REF: STORELLA - PITOTTI EMAIL 03/12/07
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty for reasons 1.4(b/d).
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000544
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NOFORN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2017
TAGS: PREF PREL PGOV BH NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL AND BHUTAN MAY MEET ON BHUTANESE REFUGEES
REF: STORELLA - PITOTTI EMAIL 03/12/07
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty for reasons 1.4(b/d).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) Joint Secretary for UN Affairs at the Foreign Ministry
told RefCoord March 14 that Nepal and Bhutan would likely
meet at the SAARC Summit in New Delhi to discuss the
Bhutanese refugees. In a separate meeting, a well-respected
Bhutanese refugee leader indicated that Bhutan's Home
Minister Jigme Thinley might arrive in Kathmandu March 15 for
a personal visit. The same refugee leader also received
assurances from a Maoist Central Committee member that the
Maoists would not oppose third-country resettlement of
Bhutanese refugees.
Nepal - Bhutan Meeting at SAARC Summit Possible
-------------- --
2. (C) Joint Secretary for UN Affairs at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Dinesh Bhattarai told RefCoord March 14 that
Nepal and Bhutan would likely meet (level unknown) at the
Fourteenth South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
(SAARC) Summit taking place in New Delhi April 3-4. Prime
Minister Koirala would attend the summit, he added.
Bhattarai was encouraged that the Core Group of donors
intended to deliver a demarche to the Royal Government of
Bhutan (RGOB) prior to the SAARC Summit.
Bhutanese Home Minister on Personal Visit to Nepal
-------------- --------------
3. (C/NF) Joint Secretary Bhattarai mentioned that a senior
Bhutanese official might soon make a personal visit to Nepal,
but could not provide further details. In a separate meeting
March 14, Dr. DNS Dhakal (please protect),a well-respected
Bhutanese refugee leader and visiting professor at Duke
University, said that Bhutanese Home Minister Jigme Thinley
was expected to arrive in Kathmandu March 15 on a personal
visit. Thinley, he said, was a close friend and former
classmate of Nepal's former Foreign Minister (2000-1) Chakra
Prasad Bastola, a sitting Nepali Congress MP who has
frequently spoken on refugee issues. (Note: Bastola was also
Nepal's Ambassador to India from 1991 - 1994 during the
period the refugees were expelled from Bhutan. In our
conversations with him, he has argued that repatriation was
the only acceptable resolution of the Bhutanese refugee
issue. End Note.) Dhakal anticipated Thinley and Bastola
would have informal discussions on Bhutanese refugees.
Maoists Will Not Oppose Refugee Resettlement
--------------
4. (C/NF) Dhakal reported that, in a March 13 meeting with
Central Committee member of the Communist Party of Nepal
(Maoist) Matrika Yadav, he had asked about Maoist intentions
toward the Bhutanese refugees. According to Dhakal, Yadav
replied that the Maoists did not oppose third-country
resettlement, although they also supported repatriation to
Bhutan.
Comment
--------------
5. (C) Home Minister Thinley's possible visit to Kathmandu
this week, if it takes place, could offer potential to pave
the way for meaningful discussion between Nepal and Bhutan at
the SAARC Summit in April. Delivery of a demarche to Bhutan
by the Danish Government on behalf of the seven Core Group
countries prior to the SAARC Summit, as suggested at the
March 12 Core Group meeting (ref email),would be
particularly timely.
MORIARTY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NOFORN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2017
TAGS: PREF PREL PGOV BH NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL AND BHUTAN MAY MEET ON BHUTANESE REFUGEES
REF: STORELLA - PITOTTI EMAIL 03/12/07
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty for reasons 1.4(b/d).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) Joint Secretary for UN Affairs at the Foreign Ministry
told RefCoord March 14 that Nepal and Bhutan would likely
meet at the SAARC Summit in New Delhi to discuss the
Bhutanese refugees. In a separate meeting, a well-respected
Bhutanese refugee leader indicated that Bhutan's Home
Minister Jigme Thinley might arrive in Kathmandu March 15 for
a personal visit. The same refugee leader also received
assurances from a Maoist Central Committee member that the
Maoists would not oppose third-country resettlement of
Bhutanese refugees.
Nepal - Bhutan Meeting at SAARC Summit Possible
-------------- --
2. (C) Joint Secretary for UN Affairs at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Dinesh Bhattarai told RefCoord March 14 that
Nepal and Bhutan would likely meet (level unknown) at the
Fourteenth South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
(SAARC) Summit taking place in New Delhi April 3-4. Prime
Minister Koirala would attend the summit, he added.
Bhattarai was encouraged that the Core Group of donors
intended to deliver a demarche to the Royal Government of
Bhutan (RGOB) prior to the SAARC Summit.
Bhutanese Home Minister on Personal Visit to Nepal
-------------- --------------
3. (C/NF) Joint Secretary Bhattarai mentioned that a senior
Bhutanese official might soon make a personal visit to Nepal,
but could not provide further details. In a separate meeting
March 14, Dr. DNS Dhakal (please protect),a well-respected
Bhutanese refugee leader and visiting professor at Duke
University, said that Bhutanese Home Minister Jigme Thinley
was expected to arrive in Kathmandu March 15 on a personal
visit. Thinley, he said, was a close friend and former
classmate of Nepal's former Foreign Minister (2000-1) Chakra
Prasad Bastola, a sitting Nepali Congress MP who has
frequently spoken on refugee issues. (Note: Bastola was also
Nepal's Ambassador to India from 1991 - 1994 during the
period the refugees were expelled from Bhutan. In our
conversations with him, he has argued that repatriation was
the only acceptable resolution of the Bhutanese refugee
issue. End Note.) Dhakal anticipated Thinley and Bastola
would have informal discussions on Bhutanese refugees.
Maoists Will Not Oppose Refugee Resettlement
--------------
4. (C/NF) Dhakal reported that, in a March 13 meeting with
Central Committee member of the Communist Party of Nepal
(Maoist) Matrika Yadav, he had asked about Maoist intentions
toward the Bhutanese refugees. According to Dhakal, Yadav
replied that the Maoists did not oppose third-country
resettlement, although they also supported repatriation to
Bhutan.
Comment
--------------
5. (C) Home Minister Thinley's possible visit to Kathmandu
this week, if it takes place, could offer potential to pave
the way for meaningful discussion between Nepal and Bhutan at
the SAARC Summit in April. Delivery of a demarche to Bhutan
by the Danish Government on behalf of the seven Core Group
countries prior to the SAARC Summit, as suggested at the
March 12 Core Group meeting (ref email),would be
particularly timely.
MORIARTY