Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley, who arrived in Kathmandu yesterday on a three-day official trip, called on Nepali Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal at Singha Dubar Friday morning.
Talking to reporters after the meeting PM Thinley said his meeting with the Nepali counterpart was mainly focused on bilateral issues.
He admitted that there was discussion on the refugee issue, but refused to elaborate saying he would detail about it during the press meeting on Saturday.
“The discussion with the Prime Minister was based on a number of issues,” he said, “Nepal and Bhutan, being the members of Least Developed Countries share many things in common.”
PM Thinley also said that both the countries have similar dream towards the development sector.
Meanwhile, Spokesperson of the Government of Nepal (GoN), Gangalal Tuladhar, said that the Nepali PM requested his the visiting PM to create congenial environment for the Bhutanese refugees who do not want to get resettled.
“The Prime Minister urged the Bhutanese PM to repatriate those who want to go back,” minister Tuladhar told.
In response, PM Thinley informed the GoN that Bhutan is positive towards accepting the genuine Bhutanese and wished to sit for serious bilateral talk on this regard, according to Tuladhar.
Meanwhile, human rights leader Tek Nath Rizal urged the Government of Nepal to invite India for holding tripartite talk to resolve the long-standing Bhutanese refugee issue.
Speaking at a face-to-face gallery of the Reporters’ Club Nepal in Kathmandu on Friday, Rizal expressed that the refugee issue would remain as it is unless Indian side plays its constructive role.
Saying that refugees have been compelled to opt the third country resettlement program, leader Rizal declared that Nepal alone would be nowhere in dealing with the Bhutanese authority on the refugee issue and asked to initiate means to bring India into the platform.
Bhutan Peoples’ Party President Balaram Paudyal and some Nepali human rights activists also presented their views in the program today.
“Nepal should only play a constructive role of mediator in the trilateral talks between Bhutan, India and Nepal,” Paudyal said.
