GOA, Oct 15: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has urged the Government of Bhutan to help prepare an atmosphere conducive to resolving the Bhutanese refugee problem soon.

"The aspiration of the Bhutanese refugees to return to Bhutan should be addressed," he said in a meeting here today with his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay. Both the leaders are here to take part in the BRICS-BIMSTEC outreach summit.

Stating that resolution of the Bhutanese refugee problem would take the relations between the two countries to a new height, Prime Minister Dahal urged Bhutan to build a favourable atmosphere for the same, according to Foreign Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, who was present in the meeting.

Dr Mahat said Prime Minister Dahal also reiterated during the meeting that problems common to both the countries should be resolved through the exchange of mutual support.

Prime Minister Dahal also discussed with Prime Minister Tobgay about developing an atmosphere to hold the summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Both the countries should work together to give momentum to the SAARC, Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi quoted the Prime Minister as saying.

Likewise, matters relating to collaboration between the SAARC Sub-group of Nepal, India, Bhutan and Bangladesh in the field of energy and tourism were discussed.

On the occasion, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tobgay said Bhutan was positive towards resolving issues of bilateral interest and pledged to take the initiative to resolve the problem of refugees soon.

Foreign Minister Dr Mahat, Foreign Secretary Bairagi and Charge d'Affaires at the Embassy of Nepal in India, Krishna Prasad Dhakal, were present during the meeting.

Prime Minister Dahal is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this evening.

Prime Minister Dahal had reached Goa earlier today, leading an 18-member Nepali delegation to attend the first BRICS-BIMSTEC outreach summit taking place on October 16. RSS

 
• pushpa kamal dahal
 
• bhutanese counterpart
 
• refugee issue