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THE NECESSITY OF FIRST ASYLUM

THE U.S. BELIEVES THAT THE FULL RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION OF GENEROUS FIRST ASYLUM POLICIES IS CRITICAL IF REFUGEE RECEIVING AND RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES ARE TO JOIN IN DEVELOPING A MODIFIED APPROACH FOR DEALING WITH THE REGION'S CONTINUING ASYLUM SEEKER FLOWS. THE RIGHT TO FIRST ASYLUM, AND HUMANE TREATMENT OF ALL ASYLUM SEEKERS (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 TO ALL WHO SEEK IT. THE U.S. IS CONVINCED THAT THERE ARE 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

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"idea?

IN

THE U.S. BELIEVES THAT SCREENING OF ASYLUM SEEKERS, 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 IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH, AND MONITORED BY, THE UNHCR. SCREENING MUST BE BASED ON THE REFUGEE DEFINITION CONTAINED IN THE U.N. CONVENTION AND PROTOCOL, AND SHOULD INCLUDE PROVISIONS FOR AN APPEALS PROCESS. RESETTLEMENT 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 US 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.

・dores HK's allows this?

I think not.

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