U.S. Department of State
International Information Programs



Washington File
10 January 2001 
Text: State Dept on Nepal-Bhutan Refugee Problem
(Welcomes resolution of long-standing issue) (300)

The State Department has praised the governments of Bhutan and Nepal for moving to resolve the status of 100,000 people claiming refugee status from Bhutan who have been in Nepal the past decade.

In a statement released January 10 in Washington, the department said the U.S. government will continue working with all concerned parties to facilitate the just resolution of this longstanding humanitarian
problem.

Following is the text of the State Department statement:

(begin text)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
January 10, 2001
STATEMENT BY RICHARD BOUCHER, SPOKESMAN

Nepal and Bhutan Move to Resolve Refugee Problem

The United States is pleased to note that Nepal and Bhutan are moving to implement their recent agreement to resolve the longstanding problem of nearly 100,000 persons claiming refugee status from Bhutan who have been hosted by Nepal in refugee camps during the past decade.
On January 4, in accordance with an agreement signed in Kathmandu on December 28, each country named five-member expert teams that are scheduled to visit the camps next week to begin the process of
verification and repatriation of those found eligible to return to Bhutan.

The United States has encouraged Nepal and Bhutan to resolve this
refugee issue fully and fairly, and we applaud their recent measures
to do so. We have long been a major contributor, through the Office of
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Food Program, to the humanitarian needs of these people. We plan to continue working with all concerned parties, at their request, to
facilitate the just resolution of this longstanding humanitarian problem.

(end text)

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