Bhutan-Nepal agree on refugees

Bhutan says it has reached an agreement with neighbouring Nepal on the voluntary return of thousands of refugees.

They have been living in camps in eastern Nepal since their alleged eviction from Bhutan more than a decade ago.

The Bhutanese Foreign Minister, Khandu Wangchuck, told the BBC the two governments had so far screened the inhabitants of one of seven refugee camps and an initial group of 9,000 refugees was eligible to return.

Mr Wangchuck said some of those who wanted to return would be granted citizenship immediately, others would have to go through a two-year transition period.

He said those who wanted to stay in Nepal would be entitled to apply for Nepali citizenship.

There are more that 100,000 Nepali-speaking people living in the seven refugee camps.

The agreement on the long-standing dispute came after protracted talks between the two governments.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service