Other than the US are also willing: UNHCR Nepal chief

Kathmandu, October 28: The western countries other than the US have also shown interest to take exiled Bhutanese for resettlement.

The office of the UN refugee agency in Kathmandu has said these countries have been demanding the quota they are required to take.

We are not in the position to provide the number of exiled Bhutanese fall in their quota at this time, agency chief Abraham Abraham said. He further said, "The statistics of exiled we have i.e 106,000 is of 15 year ago. After we have no new data about how many died, how many born and how many left the camps."

He further said that the census to begin in the camps by first week of November would bring out the latest population figures in the camps.

Abraham said Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and other European countries have been asking the number to people they have to take during the process of resettlement. He said, the quota for resettlement in each of these counties and latest population statistics would be determined only after the completion of re-registration in the camps.

He informed that re-registration of exiled Bhutanese would take at most four months.

He said he hope the talks between Nepal and Bhutan scheduled for November 21 and 22 would be final and decisive as deputy prime minister K. P. Oli hopes so. He said clear concept would be made on voluntary repatriation, third country settlement and other alternatives after the result of the talks. He also said resumption of talks that had stalled for the last like three years, is achievement in itself.

He said quota for each country would be determined after the Nepal government gives permission. Bhutan News Service