KATHMANDU, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- The United States will accept 10,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal under the first phase of refugee rehabilitation program, U.S. ambassador to Nepal Nancy J Powell said on Wednesday, according to local media houses' website THT online Thursday.

    Powell said this at the inauguration of Overseas Processing Entity (OPE). Though Powell did not specify when the process will begin, Chief District Officer (CDO) of Jhapa district Shankar Prasad Koirala said that the United States and Nepal governments had agreed that the first batch of refugees will leave for the U.S. in March.

    Powell said the Untied States will not abandon its efforts to get the refugees repatriated, adding that under the circumstances, third-country settlement was the most feasible option.

    "They left their homes 17 years ago and are leading displaced lives. If their repatriation is forced upon Bhutan, they might be uprooted again," said Powell.

    Koirala said that while the government was committed to the refugees' repatriation, it had also kept the option of third-country settlement open for those wanting to opt for it.