-2-
(including UNHCR protection), cannot be compromised in a search for expedient solutions to what may appear to be an intractable problem. First asylum must be made available The U.S. is convinced that there are to all who seek it. mechanisms available to the international community which will ease the burden of refugee receiving countries without imperiling the welfare of asylum seekers.
ASYLUM SEEKER SCREENING
The U.S. believes that screening of asylum seekers, in order to determine their refugee bona fides, is one such mechanism that should be given serious consideration. The U.S. advocates region-wide screening programs that are operated by refugee receiving countries the UNHCR. in close collaboration with, and monitored by, Screening must be based on the refugee definition contained in the UN Convention and Protocol, and should
resettlement include provisions for an appeals process. countries should commit to continuing resettlement programs for all those screened-in, and consideration should be given to the establishment of a resettlement country pool to deal with those screened-in who are not accepted for third country resettlement in a reasonable timeframe. The screening system must allow the U.S and other resettlement countries the flexibility to admit cases of special humanitarian concern, such as those eligible for immigrant visas, those in refugee priorities one through three, Amerasians and former reeducation center detainees.
The operation of the screening program, and subsequent resettlement of those screened-in, should not offer unfair advantage to those who flee clandestinely, rather than depart through the Orderly Departure program (ODP). As such, it may be necessary to consider the imposition of a uniform waiting period before resettlement for the screened-in. The deterrent effect of such a policy would have to be weighed against the additional hardship imposed on detained individuals who may have been denied by the Vietnamese expeditious access to ODP, and the initial increase in host country refugee populations until the screened-in are made available for resettlement.