Bhutan-Nepal talks to resume

Source: Kuenselonline

After meeting Nepal’s prime minister, Mr Girija Prasad Koirala, on the sidelines of the 15th SAARC summit in Colombo, Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley said that the two governments had agreed to continue the stalled talks on the people in the camps in Nepal.

Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley said that he had told the Nepalese prime minister that the Bhutanese government was looking forward to continue the discussion so that the problem could be resolved as quickly as possible.

“I’ve reminded the prime minister that we have been frustrated by the lack of a stable government in Nepal to continue the talks,” he said.

The talks between the two governments were stalled after the Bhutanese members of the joint verification team (JVT) were attacked and injured in Jhapa on December 22 2003.

Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley said that the bilateral meetings created opportunities for leaders to get together and promote regional understanding. “It creates an opportunity to clear misunderstandings and misperceptions, doubts and suspicions, both in the formal settings as well as informally on the margins of the SAARC summits,” he said.

After the summit, the Nepalese media suggested that the bilateral meeting between the two prime ministers was successful and that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala expected full cooperation from democratic Bhutan to discuss the issue.

It was also reported that the new government of Nepal would work closely with Bhutan to solve the refugee issue as soon as possible.