LETHALFORCE
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http://www.allheadlinenews.com/arti...es up woes of Tibetan refugees with Nepali PM
The United States once again called on Nepal Monday to honor a United Nations-brokered "gentlemen's agreement" on Tibetans fleeing their homeland.
The 1989 pact suggested allowing Tibetan refugees a free passage through Nepal to Dharamshala in India.
U.S. diplomatic officials raised the issue In a meeting with Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal. Undersecretary of State Maria Otero, who serves as the special coordinator for Tibetan issues, also raised the issue of problems experienced by the children of Tibetan refugees living in various camps in Nepal for several years due to a lack of identity cards.
Otero was joined in the meeting by Scott H. DeLisi, the U.S. ambassador to Nepal.
Milan Thuladhar, foreign relations adviser to the Nepal PM, reported that Prime Minister Khanal told the officials that his government has been dealing with the issue of Tibetan refugees according to its international human rights obligations.
"We will deal with the issue taking into account the concerns of our immediate neighbors -- China and India," he quoted the prime minister as saying.
Since the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China is more assertive on Tibetan issues and has been asking Nepal to curb the illegal entries of Tibetans via the porous Nepal-Tibet border.
"There is a stable practice while dealing with Tibetan issues which ensures providing them free passage to India," the US envoy said.
"It is an important issue for us. We will proceed to look at it very carefully," she said after the meeting.
The Nepali side tried to skip the issue, saying Nepal was committed to fulfilling the humanitarian aspects of the refugees and does not want to harm the core interests of China and its one-China policy.
In June, at least three Tibetan refugees were sent back to Tibet from Lamabagar of Northern Nepal of Rasuwa district, triggering a diplomatic tug-of-war between western countries and China. To discourage Tibetans from entering Nepali territory, Nepal has set up three new security outposts along its northern border.
Nepal is home to more than 20,000 Tibetans but there has not been a headcount for more than two decades, according to the home ministry.
According to government officials, Otero also visited the Tibetan Refugee Transit Centre in Kathmandu and interacted with the Tibetan community.
Read more: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/arti...Tibetan refugees with Nepali PM#ixzz1E3UYKndP
The United States once again called on Nepal Monday to honor a United Nations-brokered "gentlemen's agreement" on Tibetans fleeing their homeland.
The 1989 pact suggested allowing Tibetan refugees a free passage through Nepal to Dharamshala in India.
U.S. diplomatic officials raised the issue In a meeting with Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal. Undersecretary of State Maria Otero, who serves as the special coordinator for Tibetan issues, also raised the issue of problems experienced by the children of Tibetan refugees living in various camps in Nepal for several years due to a lack of identity cards.
Otero was joined in the meeting by Scott H. DeLisi, the U.S. ambassador to Nepal.
Milan Thuladhar, foreign relations adviser to the Nepal PM, reported that Prime Minister Khanal told the officials that his government has been dealing with the issue of Tibetan refugees according to its international human rights obligations.
"We will deal with the issue taking into account the concerns of our immediate neighbors -- China and India," he quoted the prime minister as saying.
Since the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China is more assertive on Tibetan issues and has been asking Nepal to curb the illegal entries of Tibetans via the porous Nepal-Tibet border.
"There is a stable practice while dealing with Tibetan issues which ensures providing them free passage to India," the US envoy said.
"It is an important issue for us. We will proceed to look at it very carefully," she said after the meeting.
The Nepali side tried to skip the issue, saying Nepal was committed to fulfilling the humanitarian aspects of the refugees and does not want to harm the core interests of China and its one-China policy.
In June, at least three Tibetan refugees were sent back to Tibet from Lamabagar of Northern Nepal of Rasuwa district, triggering a diplomatic tug-of-war between western countries and China. To discourage Tibetans from entering Nepali territory, Nepal has set up three new security outposts along its northern border.
Nepal is home to more than 20,000 Tibetans but there has not been a headcount for more than two decades, according to the home ministry.
According to government officials, Otero also visited the Tibetan Refugee Transit Centre in Kathmandu and interacted with the Tibetan community.
Read more: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/arti...Tibetan refugees with Nepali PM#ixzz1E3UYKndP
Nepal was an easier target. You know, Tibet is not going to be a good card enough in the near future. This is especially in the light that Tibetans now being born in India are being granted Indian nationality that I am strongly against. We have enough people to deal with and while Tibetans are our guests (they are most welcome for this), India is not their country. They have been culturally close but neighbouring country and were never a part of India. 
