Canada offers space for 5,000

Kathmandu, May 23: Canada said can resettle some 5,000 exiled Bhutanese as part of the third country resettlement programme in the next five years.

The AP news agency said Canadian government made the announcement on Tuesday.

"Our decision to resettle up to 5,000 exiled Bhutanese in Canada is part of a coordinated effort by a number of countries to address this longstanding situation once and for all," the news report quoted Canadian Immigration Minister Diane Finley as saying.

Since a few years, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been trying a combination of voluntary repatriation, local integration and resettlement.

"Today marks an important milestone in the effort to resolve a longstanding situation of forced displacement," Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay.

"But we encourage the governments of Bhutan and Nepal to continue to work together with the UNHCR to fulfil their commitment to find a comprehensive and lasting solution to the situation," he added. Bhutan News Service