043114
Uk kiport on 30 Session of UNHCR Executur
Committee
L.
12
21
October 1987
-
- 5 -
15.
*
In summing up, the High Commissioner welcomed the inter-
national community's dedication to refugees. There was a need for further accessions to the refugee instruments. He noted the comments on his mandate and the guidlines. It was not, however, possible to codify principles once and for all; procedures must be kept under review. He constantly bore in mind co-operation with other agencies. He emphasised the non-political nature of his
work.
International Protection, including the Report of the Sub-Committee on International Protection (Item 4)
(Documents A/AC.96/599, A/AC.96/593 and Corr 1, INF 152/Rev 3)
·16.
The Director of Protection said that the right of asylum and of non-refoulement were generally well respected. The last year had seen new accessions to the Convention, which was now becoming universal. Countries were adopting legislation to enforce the international instruments, and making efforts to disseminate their principles.
17. Most speakers highlighted the importance of the protection of refugees. Several paid tributed to the Australian initiative
on temporary refuge for asylum-seekers in mass influxes, and
said that important differences had been reconciled. The United·· Kingdom and Belgium had doubts about the UNHCR's applying the refugee criteria of the OAU Convention. The Director of Protection, in his reply, saw value in regional as well as international standards of reference. A copy of the UK statement by Dr Weiss is
attached at Annex, F.
18. Yugoslavia saw difficulty in the granting of temporary refuge to asylum-seekers in mass influxes, since non-refoulement could not be applied to persons not covered by the 1951 Convention. Some might be economic migrants, and hence should not be granted refugee status. The Sub-Committee's conclusions on rescues at sea and on family reunification went further than existing international instruments.
Report of the Sub-Committee on Administration and Financial Matters ( Item 5)
(Document A/AC.96/600)
19.
The debate in plenary was held up when it became known that
/African