KATHMANDU, Feb 15: Visiting US Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero has expressed concern with Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal about the problems faced by Tibetan refugees in Nepal.
At a meeting held at Singha Durbar Monday afternoon, Otero also urged the government to treat Tibetan refugees as per the international human rights obligations.
Prime minister´s foreign relations advisor Milan Tuladhar said Otero put forth the problems faced by Tibetans refugees living in Nepal in the meeting.
Otero, who arrived in Kathmandu on a three-day visit, said that children of Tibetan refugees living here for several years had been facing problems due to lack of identity cards.
According to Tuladhar, Prime Minister Khanal said that they have been dealing with the issue of Tibetan refugees as per the international human rights obligations. "We will deal with the issue taking into account the concerns of our immediate neighbors -- China and India," he quoted the prime minister as saying.
After the meeting Otero told media persons, "We made it clear that this is an important issue for us and that we are concerned about. And we will proceed to look at it very carefully."
The meeting also dwelled on the issue of Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal. Otero suggested to the prime minister to take initiatives to resume dialogue with Bhutan to address the problems.
During the meeting, Otero extended best wishes from US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Prime Minister Khanal and expressed the view that his government will be able to establish consensus for completing peace process and drafting new constitution.
Otero had inquired about the expansion of cabinet, integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants and progress made in the direction of promulgating new constitution.
Earlier in the day Otero also visited Tibetan Reception Center in Kathmandu and also met with Tibetan refugee leaders to know about the problems and hardships they face in Nepal.
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If America can speak for the Tibetian Refugees, then why didn´t America speak for the Bhutanese Refugees in Nepal? Is America AFRAID of Bhutan? or India? It is trying to bring Nepal into tussel with China as it cannot do anything to China directly. America is trying to use Nepal against China. We Nepalese must undersatand this. We have have our own stand and not America´s. We have good relationship with both of our Neighbours and we have to keep it.
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