༣
HRUS
FRANCE
Report by Dorothy Lee and K.L. Stumpf
Date: 4th 5th June, 1980
Paris
SHELT NO
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Background: According to paragraph 4 of the French constitution of 1946, France grants asylum to anyone who is politically persecuted. Through Law No. 52-893 of July 25, 1952, France has created a special office which gives legal and administrative protection to refugees and which has to safeguard the international refugee convention. Its name
is "Office Francais pour la Protection des Refugies et Apatrides" (OFPRA). This office is part of the ministry for foreign affairs but is legally, financially and administratively an autonomous body. This office has an advisory committee with representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Interior, Finance, Labour and Social Affairs, Public
Health as well as representatives from officially recognized voluntary
agencies as well as a representative from the UNHCR.
a)
9:00 a.m.:
b)
Meeting with representatives from CIMADE which is the
national branch of the World Council of Churches. We were told that
CIMADE is not directly involved in the resettlement of Indochinese
refugees but concentrates on Africa and South America.
10:30 a.m.:
Meeting with Monsieur le Prefet Barbier, President du Comite National d'Entraide, franco-vietnamien, franco-cambodgien,
franco-laotien. Mr. Barbier informed us that France is taking 5,000
Indochinese refugees between the period of June 1 and October 31, 1980. After October 31 government will have to decide on a new quota. France has diplomatic representation in Vietnam and takes about 200 Vietnamese
refugees from Vietnam directly, most of whom are family reunion cases. The balance comes from Thailand consisting of refugees from Laos,
Cambodia and Vietnam. Those from Vietnam are to be ethnic Vietnamese.
They do not wish to admit refugees of Chinese ethnic origin.
c) 11:30 a.m.: Meeting with Madame H. Taviani
UNHCR representative.
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