movements are moreover often complex.
The underlying reasons
are very often political. This session is not the best place to
discuss these; but we all deplore the tragedy personal and
national of people seeking refuge and regret the policies
which cause them to do so. Refugee flows will not stop until
the root causes are removed and this is the primary task. As
the UN Secretary-General says in his latest report on the work
of the UN "the problem of refugees can be resolved only with the
settlement of the root political causes". This is a task for
the General Assembly or the Security Council, the political organs
of the UN, rather than for the Executive Committee of the UNHCR.
But it should be the background of all our discussions.
surely, have the responsibility to make sure that our governments,
collectively and individually, are fully and immediately informed
of the problems of refugees which require their best efforts for
solution.
And we,
5.
Natural disasters, whether sudden or "creeping", continue
to cause much movement. Internal conflicts and denial of human
rights are producing large numbers of displaced persons needing
urgent help. Acute though these problems are, we must necessarily
be cautious about asking the High Commissioner to go beyond his
present mandate. The existing achievements of UNHCR must not be
put at risk by entering into new areas of activity without the
fullest reflection beforehand. UNHCR is not a development agency
and has neither the expertise nor the finance to become directly
involved in development.
I
2
/6.