KATHMANDU, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Out of 108,000 Bhutanese refugees living in seven camps in eastern Nepal, 12,000 persons have been referred for resettlement in seven different countries, local newspaper The Rising Nepal reported.

    The process of interviewing refugees who are interested in the resettlement proposal will continue, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said. The UNHCR has referred slightly more than 11,000 persons for resettlement to the United States and approximately 800 persons to Australia, slightly more than 150 to New Zealand, and smaller numbers to Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.

    To date, over 2,500 persons have been accepted by the United States. The U.S. will interview refugees on a regular basis at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) office in Damakof Jhapa district, some 300 km east of Nepali capital Kathmandu, UNHCR informed at a press conference Monday.

    UNHCR informed that more than 100 persons have already been accepted by New Zealand. Many refugees have been interviewed by officers from Australia and are in various stages of processing. Other countries have also accepted smaller numbers: Canada with 29, Denmark with 13, Netherlands with 32 and Norway with 24 persons.

    The Nepali government has provided exit permission and travel documents to over 600 persons who will be departing for resettlement.

    Fewer than 20 refugees left for resettlement in 2006 and 2007 according to UNHCR. By the end of March, 2008, it is anticipated that over 200 persons will be departed to third countries.

    "This trend will continue with more departures scheduled for each month. By the end of 2008, IOM anticipates that 1,500 persons will be leaving for third countries each month," UNHCR said.

    The U.S. has said it will provide at least 60,000 resettlement places but will consider more if there is a need. Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Norway are considering providing a total up to 10,000 resettlement places for these refugees over the next few years.

    More than 100,000 Bhutanese refugees have been living in seven camps in eastern Nepal for the last 17 years.