Bhutanese human right leader Teknath Rijal has appealed to UN General Secretary Kofi Annan to take initiatives for dialogue between the (Bhutan) King and the refugees in UNHCR’s presence to end the decade-long refugee crisis, a report said Friday.

Rijal has sent a letter addressed to the UN General Secretary calling upon him to press Nepal and Bhutan at the 58th UN General Assembly, The Kathmandu Post reported quoting refugee sources.

Rijal has stressed the need for UNHCR’s involvement in the bilateral talks between the two countries as the third party, the report said.

He also called upon India to take initiatives as the immediate neighbour for an early end to the problem, “though it was the issue of the King and the people from southern Bhutan”, the report added. nepalnews.com mr Sept 19