SUCH ACTIVITIES HELP TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REFUGEE
AID AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, WHERE
SO MANY OF THE REFUGEES ARE FOUND •
Amit
M
THE ENTIAL PRINCIPLES WHICH WE BELIEVE SHOULD BE RESPECTED
IN REFUGEE SITUATIONS INCLUDE; THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO TAKE APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO SAFEGUARD
REFUGEES; AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
TO OBSERVE THE PRINCIPLE THAT REFUGEES SHOULD NOT BE FORCIBLY
ATE
TURNED AWAY AT FRONTIERS OR REPATRIATED AGAINST THEIR
WILY.
OUR SUPPORT FOR THE ACTIVITIES OF THE UNHCR AND THE OTHER
RELIEF AGENCIES IS FOUNDED ON THE BASIS OF THESE IMPORTANT
HUMANITARIAN CONSIDERATIONS
MY LORDS, THE RECORD OF THIS GOVERNMENT IN THIS FIELD IS ONE
OF WHICH WE CAN BE PROUD. EACH YEAR FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS WE
HAVE CONTRIBUTED £5.4 MILLION TO THE UNHCR'S GENERAL PROGRAMME.
OVER THE SAME PERIOD WE HAVE CONTRIBUTED £5 MILLION ANNUALLY TO
THE CORE BUDGET OF THE UN RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINIAN
REFUGEES. IN ADDITION, WE DO OUR BEST TO RESPOND TO ALL SPECIAL
APPEALS FROM ALL THE REFUGEE RELIEF AGENCIES. IN THE CURRENT
CROSS,]
FINANCIAL YEAR OUR RESPONSES TO THESE APPEALS HAVE INCLUDED
£5.9 MILLION TO THE UNHCR, 15.1 MILLION TO THE RED CROSS
£3.1 MILLION TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS,
5
Page 30Page 31