US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI8893

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 008893 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREF, PHUM, PTER, IN, NP, BT, Bhutan, Human Rights 
SUBJECT: INDIAN REPORTS BREAKTHROUGH IN BHUTAN/NEPAL 
REFUGEE TALKS, DISCUSSES ULFA TERRORISTS 
 
Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1. (C) Summary: The agreement reached in Dhaka between the 
RGOB and GON to restart the Joint Verification Process and 
allow for the return of Category 1 and 4 refugees from the 
Khudunabari refugee camp was a significant and positive step, 
outgoing MEA Joint Secretary (North) Ranjit Rae told PolCouns 
and PolOff during a November 22 meeting.  Incoming Joint 
Secretary (North) Prakaj Saran noted that Kathmandu's recent 
 
SIPDIS 
acceptance of possible third country resettlement is a 
welcome and noticeable change in its position.   Rae and 
Saran agreed that monitoring of refugees that return to 
Bhutan will be problematic, due to the RGOB's distrust of 
UNHCR.  The GON has not raised the refugee issue with the GOI 
since February 2005, while the RGOB discusses the issue 
regularly with the MEA, Rae noted.  Thimphu does not view the 
Friends of Bhutan group, consisting of a number of European 
countries, to be true friends, Saran remarked.  Rae commented 
that Bhutan and India are determined to keep United 
Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) terrorists out of Bhutan, 
acknowledging that the group has made attempts to set up new 
camps in the Himalayan Kingdom.  The GOI is raising a new 
Special Security Bureau (SSB) Force to patrol Indian's 
Northeast borders with Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh.  Rae 
stated the GOI has no information on the Bhutanese Census 
conducted in May 2005, and agreed any use of the census to 
launch another round of ethnic readjustment would be 
unacceptable.  End Summary. 
 
Dhaka Talks Productive 
---------------------- 
 
2.  (C) Talks between Bhutanese Foreign Minister Wangchuk and 
Nepalese King Gyanendra during the SAARC Summit on November 
12-13 were positive and the two sides agreed to the 
repatriation of Category 1 and 4 refugees from the 
Khudunabari Camp and to re-starting the stalled Joint 
Verification Team process, Ranjit Rae reported in a November 
22 meeting with PolCouns and PolOff.  Rae commented that it 
was significant in that Bhutan and Nepal reached this 
agreement, although Nepal was still reluctant to make the 
declaration public.   Nepal's willingness to discuss 
solutions not completely ruled by the Joint Ministerial 
Meetings guidelines, such as resettlement, shows a welcome 
flexibility in Kathmandu's position, Saran argued.  Rae 
reiterated that the GOI's official position is that a 
bilateral solution to the problem is the best way forward, 
but suggested that in private diplomatic interactions India 
was continuing to press for a solution. 
 
Bhutan Discusses Refugees, Nepal Does Not 
----------------------------------------- 
 
3.  (C) While the RGOB regularly discusses the refugee issue 
with the MEA, the GON has not broached the topic with the MEA 
since February 2005, Rae stated.  Saran, who served at the 
GOI's mission to Geneva and appeared well versed on the 
refugee issue, added that the GON's position in Geneva has 
not been positive regarding any plans that include 
third-country resettlement.  He theorized that the GON fears 
third-country resettlement would eventually lead to 
large-scale local integration, which is Kathmandu's main 
concern regarding the refugees.  PolOff noted that if 
resettlement countries acknowledged a willingness to accept 
refugees and offered general numbers of how many each country 
might be willing to take, it could ease the GON's fear that 
they will be left "holding the bag."  Saran agreed that this 
could help ease Nepal's worries, but commented that the GON 
is still largely focused on the law and order situation in 
the country, and other issues, specifically the refugees, 
receive less attention. 
 
Thimphu Wary of Monitors 
------------------------ 
 
4.  (C) The issue of international monitoring of the eventual 
repatriation of refugees to Bhutan could also be problematic, 
noted Rae.  The RGOB does not trust UNHCR and will not allow 
the group to fulfill its traditional monitoring role.  Rae 
commented that the UNHCR has vetoed the idea of using UNDP, 
which has an extensive presence in Bhutan and good relations 
with the government, in that monitor role.  He added that 
UNDP also does not want to take on the added responsibility, 
as this endeavor is not in its charter.  Saran noted his 
impression out of Geneva is that Thimphu does not consider 
the Friends of Bhutan group to be true friends, as it does 
not always have Bhutan's best interest at heart.  (Note: The 
Friends of Bhutan group consists of: Switzerland, Denmark, 
Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Finland and Austria.  End 
Note.) 
 
ULFA: Keep Out! 
--------------- 
 
5.  (C) Bhutan and India are committed to keeping ULFA out of 
Bhutan, Rae asserted, adding that he had discussed this issue 
during a recent visit to Thimphu that included calls on the 
King and Foreign Minister.  Rae acknowledged that the GOI has 
received some intelligence reports that the ULFA terrorist 
group has attempted to encamp in Bhutan, but has been 
unsuccessful.  Rae told us that the GOI is in the process of 
raising a new SSB force, reporting to the Home Ministry, that 
would patrol its borders with Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. 
He concluded that the GOI "must be very vigilant along these 
borders." 
 
No News on the Census 
--------------------- 
 
6. (C) Regarding a recent report from the Human Rights 
Organization of Bhutan, which stated the May 2005 Census 
results have identified 125,000 non-nationals living in 
Bhutan,  Rae told us that the GOI has not received any such 
information.  However, he suggested that we should monitor 
this very carefully to ensure there is never a repeat of the 
expulsion that occurred in the early 1990s. 
BLAKE