Reference..

-

- 5 -

5-

*the

able to cope with them with the aim of targetting development assistance to these countries. On irregular movement, the Danes said that it was anever increasing concern. The numbers of asylum seekers reaching Denmark in 1985/86 was double that in 1984/85 and was likely to double in the year 1986/87. The total amount of public funds in Denmark spent on such asylum seekers equals one-third of UNHCR's entire budget. There was, therefore, a need for a more orderly procedure for dealing with asylum seekers but which fully reflected the commitments and obligations the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol. They also stated that resettlement must remain a solution of last resort.

They ended by referring to the Danish initiative in the UN General Assembly which would be followed-up at the Third Committee.

15. Argentina spoke about the need to stop inflows of refugees, to assist existing refugees, and to tackle the root causes. The last was a governmental task rather than one for UNHCR. Argentina also spoke on the situation of the asylum seekers in Argentina, condemned violations of refugee rights and the escalation of xenophobia, condemned inhumane attacks on refugee camps, and condemned detention and expulsion of refugees and asylum seekers in violation of international obligations. They welcomed efforts to stop such attacks and detention, and supported the recommendations of the Sub-Committee which should in their view include principles and conclusions on these matters. They also discussed the reorganisation of UNHCR but stated that it was too soon to assess the full impact of the reorganisation. They supported the underlying aims especially the strengthening of field activities but stressed that improved evaluation procedures for projects would be needed in order to obtain greater efficiency.

16. Lebanon spoke about the reorganisation of the Office which it supported, the events inside Lebanon which they claimed were outside of their control, armed attacks on refugee camps which they claimed must be prevented, the economic crisis in lesser developed countries which often were exacerbated the problems of coping with refugees and hence the need for international support, and the underlying problems which result in refugee flows. In their view refugee flows were an expression of injustice and*solution lay in solving justly these political problems.

refugees

17. The Holy See spoke about the needs of women and welcomed the recommendations of last year's Working Group. They also spoke on the need for closer cooperation between UNHCR and NGOs in drawing up the programmes and on the need for greater involvement of the refugees themselves in planning refugee programmes so as to increase the self- sufficiency of refugees and so as not to create the impression of imposing aid. They also stated that camps should be entirely civilian in character so that a commitment

CODE 18-77

AWO Ltd.

7/84

/not

Share This Page