§ Ms DrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action(a) the United Kingdom and (b) its EU partners are taking to resolve the problem of the Bhutanese refugees currently living in camps in Nepal. [34512]
469W
§ Mr. FatchettWe shall continue to use every opportunity to encourage the governments of Nepal and Bhutan in their dialogue on this issue. The EU raised the refugee problem in its statement to the Third Committee at the UN General Assembly in November 1997. As Presidency, we are working with EU partners to ensure that our concerns are raised during the forthcoming UN Commission on Human Rights.
§ Ms DrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the Government's policy towards an internationally monitored verification process to determine which of the refugee population in Nepal have a right to return to Bhutan. [34513]
§ Mr. FatchettWe shall continue our support for UNHCR, who have made it clear that they stand ready to help with any repatriation project agreed between the governments of Bhutan and Nepal.