CONFIDENTIAL
37TH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF UNHCR
BRIEF 2(A): INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE INSTRUMENTS
LINE TO TAKE
1.
Encourage states which have not yet done so to
ratify the relevant international instruments
governing refugees.
2. Welcome ratification of those done since 36th
Excom.
3. Encourage states to fulfil their obligations under
such texts.
BACKGROUND
4 .
The UK is a party to all the major universal
instruments relating to refugees and stateless persons:
the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees,
the 1967 Protocol, the 1957 Agreement relating to
Refugee Seamen, the 1973 Protocol to that Agreement,
the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless
persons, and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of
Statelessness. We made several reservations to the
1951 Convention (to Articles 8, 9, 17.2, 24.1, 24.2
and 25.1-3) and two minor geographical reservations on
the 1967 Protocol.
None of these are of a nature as to
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CONFIDENTIAL