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DE RUEHNE #0555/01 0251406
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 251406Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8995
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9882
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 2992
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 3010
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 5894
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 2320
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 3653
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 7983
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 6338
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2649
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA 1111
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 0812
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 1847
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 1996
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 0065
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 2682
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0835
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 8699
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHMFISS/HQ USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000555 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2015 
TAGS: PREF PREL PHUM IN BT NP
SUBJECT: GOI WILLING TO ENGAGE RGOB ON REFUGEES IN NEPAL, 
RGOB REITERATES NEED FOR WRITTEN AGREEMENT 
 
REF: A. NEW DELHI 434 
 
     ¶B. STATE 6081 
     ¶C. KATHMANDU 216 
 
Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary:  The GOI pressed Bhutanese Foreign Minister 
Wangchuk to find a solution to the refugee problem during his 
January 15 visit to New Delhi, Joint Secretary-North 
(Nepal-Bhutan) Pankaj Saran told us during a January 25 
meeting.  Acknowledging a direct GOI interest, he noted that 
India does not yet have a solution to the problem, but is 
willing to help move the repatriation/resettlment process 
forward.  Bhutanese Ambassador Tshering told us on January 25 
that the solution to the problem must be bilateral and should 
be solved through a continuation of the Dhaka discussions 
between Foreign Ministers Pandey and Wangchuk.  Reiterating 
Bhutan's security concerns and that the RGOB was focused on 
the democratization process, Tshering asserted the government 
would not undertake any action that would disrupt the 
political transition in Thimphu.  Our discussions with the 
Tshering, who holds a hard-line view of the situation and was 
 
SIPDIS 
Home Minister during the expulsions, underscores the need to 
carry on this discussion with the RGOB in Thimphu.  In light 
of the progress made during U/S Dewey's discussions with King 
Wangchuck, further direct communications with the Foreign 
Minister or the King may be needed to achieve results.  End 
Summary. 
 
GOI Engaged With RGOB on Refugees 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Joint Secretary Pankaj Saran reported that he 
discussed the current status of the refugee issue with 
Bhutanese Foreign Minister Wangchuk during a January 15-16 
meeting.  Saran told us that Wangchuk stated the RGOB had 
sent a letter to the GON with modalities of the agreement to 
repatriate Category 1 and 4 refugees and was awaiting a 
written response from the GON.  Saran also noted that he 
attempted to sensitize the Foreign Minister to the possible 
radicalization of the refugees in the camps in Nepal, and 
recommended that Bhutan should move quickly to forestall such 
an event.  Acknowledging the issue has a direct impact on 
India, Saran indicated that the GOI does not have a solution 
at this stage.  He remarked that the GOI has left it up to 
Bhutan and Nepal to find a solution to the problem so far, 
but indicated that India wants to find a way to help drive a 
resolution. 
 
¶3.  (C) PolCouns suggested that the GOI could be the catalyst 
to get Bhutan and Nepal past the stage of finger-pointing and 
to the point where they can start repatriating cases.  Saran 
reported that India is in the process of looking at where it 
"can fit in" and that the issue will be discussed in more 
detail with the RGOB in the coming month.  Saran concluded 
that the GOI will "take more time before we have clarity on 
our approach, as there are sensitivities all around." 
 
Third Country Resettlement and Refugee Discussion at GIF 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
¶4.  (C) PolCouns informed Saran that the topic of the 
Bhutanese refugees would likely be raised during the February 
1 Global Issues Forum, and noted that the US delegation will 
include a senior representative from PRM.  When the 
possibility of large scale resettlement of Bhutanese refugees 
 
NEW DELHI 00000555  002 OF 002 
 
 
to the US and other third countries arose, Director-North 
(Nepal-Bhutan) Achal Kumar Malhotra asked if such a plan had 
been proposed to the RGOB.  PolCouns noted that the RGOB had 
been told on a number of occasions that the US and other 
resettlement countries would likely accept large numbers of 
refugees, once other options were exhausted. 
 
Tshering: Same Story, Same Dance 
 
SIPDIS 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C) Bhutanese Ambassador Tshering launched into a lengthy 
description of the process of constitutional change Bhutan 
has undertaken when PolCouns questioned him about feedback 
regarding A/S Rocca's letter to FM Wangchuk.  After PolCouns 
explained USG desires to assist in ending the protracted 
refugee issue, Tshering commented that the issue remains 
bilateral, and the best way to move forward was through a 
continuation of the discussions started in Dhaka between the 
Nepalese and Bhutanese Foreign Ministers.  Tshering explained 
that FM Pandey refused to permit a joint communique 
announcing the plan to repatriate Category 1 and 4 refugees 
from Khudunabari Camp, which the RGOB took as a signal of bad 
faith.  Tshering asserted that without jointly informing the 
public and camp residents about the agreement, it becomes a 
unilateral action and that "Bhutan is not prepared to take 
any unilateral action at this time of constitutional change." 
 
 
¶6.  (C) Tshering remarked that Bhutan remains concerned about 
the growing number of activist groups in the camps, 
commenting that "Bhutan does not want these people to disrupt 
the country."  PolCouns noted that the USG also does not want 
a destabilizing force entering Bhutan, and that was another 
reason to move forward quickly to resolve the refugee issue 
and dismantle the camps.  Tshering then reiterated the need 
for the foreign ministers to discuss the issue. 
 
¶7.  (C) In response to Nepalese threats to internationalize 
the issue, Tshering responded that he had heard that empty 
threat before and that the GON does not know what this 
actually means.  Highlighting Bangladesh and Cyprus, he 
asserted that internationalizing the situation would only 
make the problem worse and that the only solution was through 
bilateral dialogue, "and that involves talking to us." 
 
Comment: Talk to the King 
------------------------- 
 
¶8. (C) Ambassador Tshering holds a hard-line view on the 
refugee issue and was Home Minister when the expulsions took 
place.  Attempts by the mission to engage him on the refugee 
issue have proven unfruitful.  In light of Tshering's views 
and the positive feedback A/S Dewey received after his 
October 2004 visit to Thimphu and direct consultations with 
the King, we may wish to explore how the US could best 
re-engage on the refugee issue directly with the Foreign 
Minister or the King. 
MULFORD