CONFIDENTIAL
BODEMAR
COMMITTEE HAD BEEN NOTED IN SUBSEQUENT UNGA RESOLUTIONS, SAID HE DID NOT THINK UNHCR HAD AS YET GIVEN ANY ATTENTION TO THIS TASK, NOR DID HESEE IT AS PRACTICABLE UNLESS IT WERE DONE IN THE CONTEXT OF PROGRESS IN THE CURRENT UNSG/OAU DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PARTIES.
6. ON THE FINAL MOROCCAN POINT (V) BODEMAR CONFIRMED MY OWN REACTION THAT THE MOROCCANS WERE TRYING TO CONFUSE TWO DISTINCT ISSUES HERE. THE TUAREG REFUGEES CURRENTLY BEING RETURNED TO MALI AND NIGER FROM SOUTHERN ALGERIA FOLLOWING IMPROVED RAINFALL IN THEIR COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN, (BUT NEVERTHELESS PROVOKING CONSIDERABLE HARDSHIP AMONGST REFUGEES CONCERNED), HAD NEVER BEEN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF UNHCR, BEING OF A NON POLITICAL CATEGORY. THEIR PREDICAMENT IS BEING MONITORED INSTEAD BY UNDRO, UNDER THE UNDP REPRESENTATIVE HERE. UNHCR FUNDING IN ALGERIA IN BOTH FOOD AID AND FOR RESETTLEMENT PROJECTS IS WHOLLY DEDICATED TO THE SAHRAWIS IN THE TINDOUF AREA AND INVOLVE NO TUAREG.
7. I HOPE THIS BACKGROUND CLARIFICATION MAY BE HELPFUL IN BRIEFING UKMIS GENEVA FOR THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DISCUSSIONS DUE IN LATE JUNE. AS SEEN FROM HERE UNHCR IS FULFILLING ITS ROLE FAIRLY AND EFFECTIVELY. TO TRY TO RESTRICT ITS FUNDING OR NARROW ITS FOCUS HERE WOULD CAUSE INCREASED HARDSHIP TO THE SAHRAWI REFUGEES WITHOUT BRINGING THEIR REPATRIATION OR A POLITICAL SETTLEMENT ANY CLOSER.
MUNRO
MIDDLE EAST
LIMITED
NENAD
MED
NAD
SOVIET D
PLANNING STAFF
UND
ECD(E) (POCO UNIT)
NEWS D
INFO D
PUSD
SED
SCD
DEFENCE D
PS
PS/MR RENTON PS/PUS
MR FERGUSSON
MR DEREK THOMAS
MR GOODALL
SIR D MIERS
MR SLATER
MR RATFORD
MR LONG
MR MACINNES
MR BARRINGTON
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION ARAB/ISRAEL
-2-
CONFIDENTIAL