Bhadrapur, Apr. 22:Leader of the visiting European parliamentary delegation Mr Gerard Collins has said the European Parliament has given top priority to just and speedy solution of the Bhutanese refugee issue.

Mr Collins made this remark while briefing a gathering organised after inspecting the Timai Refugee Camp today.

Observing that human rights, right to walk freely and individual freedom of the refugees living in camps have been violated, he said during the past 10 years, some 17,000 children have been born and there is a big question mark over the future of these children.

Stating that we have raised this issue before the government and it has taken it seriously, Mr Collins gave assurances that the issue of Bhutanese refugees will be presented to the European Parliament and European countries for finding an solution to the long-standing problem.

On the occasion, P. R. Dahal of the Timai Refugee Camp remarked that the bilateral talks held so far between Nepal and Bhutan have failed to move on and spoke of the need to create an atmosphere under which the refugees can return to their home, that is Bhutan, with dignity.

The delegation also inspected a refugee identification centre in Kakarbhitta today.

On the occasion, Mrs Margaret of unhcr said the centre was set up in 1993 with a view to identifying Bhutanese refugees.

Earlier, the delegation was welcomed by Jhapa cdo Dilliraj Joshi and other individuals and apprised of the refugee camps.

The refugee camps in Jhapa and Morang districts have a total of 97,940 refugees.

Refugees of Timai and Goghata camps had presented a memorandum to the delegation for resolving the problem.

This is the second time the European Parliament has inspected the refugee camps in Nepal, sources said.