US embassy cable - 05GENEVA1809

C O N F I D E N T I A L GENEVA 001809 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR PRM/ANE PITOTTI, 
USEU FOR MEZNAR AND GAGNE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2010 
TAGS: PREF, PREL, IN, CH, NP, PHUM, UNHCR 
SUBJECT: UNHCR: STILL NO REPLACEMENT IMPLEMENTATION PARTNER 
FOR TIBETAN REFUGEE PROGRAM IN NEPAL 
 
REF: A. STATE 136561 
 
     B. SPATT-PITOTTI E-MAILS (7/26 & 7/19) 
 
Classified By: RefCouns Piper Campbell; Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (C)  UNHCR continues to seek an Implementation Partner 
(IP) in Nepal to replace the deregistered Tibetan Refugee 
Welfare Office (TRWO) in providing assistance to Tibetan 
refugees transiting to India.  In a June 26 meeting, UNHCR's 
Asia Desk Chief Catherine Huck and Senior Legal Advisor Peter 
Janssen appeared more confident than they were last week (ref 
B) that UNHCR field officers will be able to continue 
providing services until a suitable IP is found.  Janssen was 
not able to provide names of specific NGOs that UNHCR is 
actively pursuing and asked for USG suggestions. 
 
2.  (C)  While UNHCR has not given up on the possibility of 
Nepali government registration of Snow Lion or indeed the 
Tibetan Welfare Service (TWS), Huck and Janssen acknowledged 
they are not confident.  Janssen agreed that any new IP would 
need to include Tibetan guides because they have contacts on 
both sides of the border and know the geography of the border 
crossings.  US Mission Geneva will continue to follow up on 
this issue. 
Moley