§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received concerning human rights in Bhutan; and if he will make a statement. [29738]
§ Mr. HanleyA representative of the Bhutanese refugees in eastern Nepal called on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 22 March. The human rights situation in Bhutan was discussed. A number of British non-governmental organisations have also raised the issue with us.
58W
§ Mr. WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received concerning the number of refugees who have recently left Bhutan for Nepal and the reasons for their departure; and what assistance is being provided by the United Kingdom to assist those refugees. [29739]
§ Mr. HanleyWe understand that only a few family groups have arrived in Nepal from Bhutan over recent months. The United Kingdom has contributed more than £475,000 to refugee relief in Nepal over the past three years.
§ Mr. WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has recently made to the Indian Government about the detention of appeal marchers campaigning for change in Bhutan; how many such marchers were detailed; how many remain in custody; and if he will make a statement. [29740]
§ Mr. HanleyWhile we discussed Bhutan in our bilateral talks with India on 28 March, we have made no specific representations to the Indian Government about the arrest of the marchers, but we continue to monitor the situation closely with our EU partners. We understand that about 1,400 marchers have been arrested, of whom 792 remain in custody.
§ Mr. WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received concerning the outcome of the 7th round of inter-ministerial talks on Bhutan and Nepal; what steps he is taking to ensure(a) the constructive involvement of India in those talks and (b) a just resolution of the problems with which they are dealing; and if he will make a statement. [29741]
§ Mr. HanleyThe latest round of inter-ministerial talks between Bhutan and Nepal in Kathmandu on 4 to 8 April ended with agreement to continue the talks in Thimpu, though no dates were set. We have regularly raised Bhutan in bilateral talks with India—most recently on 28 March. We believe that negotiation between Bhutan and Nepal offers the best solution to this problem and will continue to encourage both governments in this.
§ Mr. WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in theOfficial Report the terms of the resolution of 14 March passed by the European Parliament in relation to refugees from Bhutan. [29742]
§ Mr. HanleyI am arranging for the resolution to be placed in the Libraries of the House.