I
1.
APPENDIX TO ANNEX I
Consultative meetings with interested Governments on
refugees and displaced persons in South-East Asia
(Geneva, 11-12 December 1978)
Summing-up by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The consultations have underlined that the problem of refugees and displaced persons must be treated in a strictly humanitarian and non-political way, in keeping with the nature of UNHCR. The Office must advocate and implement policies that reflect this fundamental position.
2. These policies must receive governmental understanding and greatly increased support.
3. UNHCR must be enabled to help refugees and displaced persons wherever they are, in all parts of the region, not merely selectively. The interrelationships in the region, as well as their international dimensions, were fully elaborated.
4. The consultations recognized that no comprehensive solutions can be attained unless such is the will and determination of Governments within and beyond the region. UNHCR cannot substitute for this. Governments must, therefore, take the appropriate decisions, for only through their actions can existing problems be solved and new problems avoided.
5. In resolving these problems, the following urgent measures are closely related or are interdependent:
(a) The consultations noted that there can be no humane or durable solutions unless Governments grant at least temporary asylum, in accordance with
internationally accepted humanitarian principles. The consultations also noted, as a corollary, that existing facilities in countries of first asylum in South-East Asia were already overloaded and that for such countries temporary asylum depended on commitments for resettlement in third countries and the avoidance of residual problems in the area.
(b) The meeting considered a proposal whereby special centres would be established where refugees and displaced persons would be processed for resettlement in an orderly way, within a specific time scale, and against guarantees that there would be no residual problem. It was felt that this proposal should be further elaborated and studied by Governments.
(c) While greatly appreciating the offers of resettlement announced during the consultations, it was evident that a far wider range of countries must announce increased numbers of places for this purpose. These further offers, which are most urgently required, must be announced in advance, be available on a regular basis, and above all, match the need. This would permit the pooling of opportunities and the allocation of resettlement numbers to areas of greatest need.