"The statements made in the Committee indicated that while there was a need to reconvene the Conference, it was equally clear that careful and detail preparation was required. On the basis of information provided by the High Commissioner that consultations with Governments were continuing in this regard, the Chairman proposed that the High Commissioner keep the Secretary-General informed of progress made in these consultations so that, at its next session, the General Assembly might have more information available to it to decide on the appropriate time to reconvene the Conference." 5/
At the time of writing, the High Commissioner is continuing his consultations with Governments. He will inform the Secretary-General of progress in due course.
2.
23.
Non-refoulement
both
Protection against return to a country where a person has reason to fear persecution is the most important component of both refugee status and asylum and finds expression in the principle of non-refoulement. During the period under review, this fundamental humanitarian principle was emphasized both at the twenty-eighth session of the Executive Committee and at the thirty-second session of the General Assembly. The relevant conclusion of the Executive Committee 6/ reaffirmed the fundamental importance of the principle of non-refoulement at the border and within the territory of a State - of persons who may be subjected to persecution if returned to the country of origin, irrespective of whether or not they have been formally recognized as refugees. In resolution 32/67 on the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the General Assembly urged Governments to facilitate the efforts of the High Commissioner in the field of international protection, inter alia, by following humanitarian principles with respect to the granting of asylum and ensuring that these are scrupulously observed, including the principle of non-refoulement of refugees.
24.
In this
While the practice of the majority of States is in accordance with the principle of non-refoulement, a number of cases of refoulement have come to the notice of the High Commissioner, sometimes too late for an intervention to be made. Moreover, application of the principle of non-refoulement has, on occasions, continued to give rise to technical difficulties, notably where there has been no established formal procedure for determining refugee status. respect, the essential need for scrupulous observance of the principle of non-refoulement has to be emphasized with regard to all asylum-seekers, irrespective of whether or not they have been formally recognized as refugees under the Statute of the Office, the 1951 Convention or the 1967 Protocol.
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5/ Ibid., Thirty-second Session, Annexes, agenda item 87, document A/32/352, para. 13.
6/ Ibid., Thirty-second Session, Supplement No. 12A (A/32/12/Add.1), para. 53 (4) (c).
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