Kathmandu, May 4: Nepal and Bhutan should utilise the database of Bhutanese refugees prepared by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to jointly verify the Bhutanese refugees in the seven camps in eastern Nepal, said Sadako Ogata, UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees, at a press meet here today.

“Both the governments of Nepal and Bhutan have accepted the proposal to use the database,” said Ogata who arrived here last Monday and left for India this morning.

The database, according to the chief of the refugee commission of the global body, is a complete one covering all the refugees in the camps. “Upon their arrivals, the refugees have registered their names, address, professions, among other information, with the UNHCR Nepal office.”

Ogata’s stress for the use of the UNHCR database comes at a time when Nepal and Bhutan are still engaged in groundwork for the field verification of the 100,000 refugees in the camps. Having held the secretary level talks in Thimpu and Kathmandu recently, the two Himalayan Kingdoms are expected to hold a ministerial-level meeting before the field-verifications actually begin.

Nepal and Bhutan have held eight rounds of ministerial-level talks in the last eight years on the impending refugee issue. The last one was held last year.

“The next ministerial-level meeting should take place within this month,” said Ogata. “The meeting is expected to be followed by the verification in the field.”

The verification has to do with the Bhutanese refugees divided into four categories: Bonafide Bhutanese citizens, Bhutanese who have emigrated, Bhutanese who have committed crimes, and Non-Bhutanese citizens.

Asked what was the impression of the UNHCR on the refugees after compiling their database, Ogata said that the majority of the refugees are from Bhutan. “And majority of them want to go back home.”

During the eighth round of ministerial level bilateral talks here, the Bhutanese side had taken out a list, comprising of around 5,000 refugees, which they said was prepared by the UNHCR Nepal office to begin the verification process. The government then had denied to discuss on the list saying that it was prepared unilaterally without taking the Nepalese side into confidence.

So, does the list that Ogata mentioned at the press meet this morning have to do anything with the list that Bhutan tabled during the eighth round of talks? “No,” said Ogata, “This database has not been made available for use to-date.”

“This is a complete data on the refugees’ record. My office will extend technical expertise and support to facilitate the verification process.”

Asked if India should also take part to solve the refugee issue, she said: “Any party interested to help solve the problem is welcome. But, basically this has been a bilateral issue.”

“I am certainly going to seek India’s support and co-operation during my visit there,” she said.

Ogata is scheduled to leave for India today. She had arrived here after meeting Bhutanese authorities in Thimpu.