The British embassy in Kathmandu has refuted news reports that Prime Minister Gordon Brown has ordered review of Gurkha cases following his meeting with veteran Gurkha soldier and VC holder Tul Bahadur Pun in London a few days ago.

“At no point did the Prime Minister undertake to order a review of the benefits received by former Gurkhas,” states a press release by the Embassy.

The embassy indicated that British government has no plans for further review of issues relating to Gurkha soldiers who retired before July 1997. It said that in March this year, the Ministry of Defense had announced the results of its comprehensive review of the terms and conditions of Gurkha soldiers.

Earlier, news reports had said that during his meeting with Pun, British PM Brown had ordered his government’s appropriate authorities to review all issues related to Gurkhas and their families.

The Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen’s Organization (GAESO) officials had told a news conference in Kathmandu on Monday that Brown gave the order, responding to the request made by Tul Bahadur Pun VC, for a “full review of facilities including equal pension for Gurkhas at par with their British colleagues”.

They said GAESO representatives would hand over a memorandum to British officials, mentioning a complete full list of discriminatory provisions, which should be changed. Retired Gurkhas have long been demanding pension equal to their British counterparts.

Meanwhile, GAESO, on Thursday, has reacted to British embassy’s denial reiterating that British PM had indeed said he will do what he can to try and help Gurkhas.

During the meeting between Pun and Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the GAESO statement claims, Pun had respectfully requested that the new British Prime Minister allow “an unrestricted right of settlement in the UK to all his poor Gurkha comrades from Nepal.” He had also urged the British Prime Minister to consider the “ongoing question of the pension entitlements of pre-1997 Gurkhas, when set against the pension entitlements of their British comrades-in-arms.”

The GAESO statement adds, “While honouring and saluting Mr Pun VC, Prime Minister Gordon Brown assured Mr Pun VC that he will do all he can to try and help.”

“GAESO and Tul Bahadur Pun VC are honoured and deeply touched by the genuine goodwill of the new British Prime Minister. It is obvious that Prime Minister Gordon Brown has a deep desire to overcome poverty across the world, and that he is a man who has been particularly moved by the conditions faced by many loyal British Gurkha veterans.”

The statement issued by Mahendra Lal Rai, general secretary of GAESO, says, “At no time has GAESO stated that the British Prime Minister made any statement to Parliament or that the on-going pension issue had been resolved. GAESO has been wholly misreported. GAESO has, however, reported comments made by the Daily Mirror and accurately reported that the cordial meeting between Gordon Brown, Tul Bahadur Pun VC and the President of GAESO, Padam Bahadur Gurung, is a major step forward in creating a climate of consensus and co-operation. GAESO truly believes that the new British Prime Minister is a man of integrity, and a man who cares for the plight of those who have given loyal service to the British public.”