PA/AC:96/567
...pago 2:
3. It is, of course, realized that the granting of oven temporary asylum may place a serious burden on States which, duc to their geographical, situation, "are confronted with large-scale and even massive influxes of asylum-seekers. The problems facing countries of first asylum are, however, problems which arc recognized as being of concern to the international community, and the principle of "burden-sharing" has received widespread recognition at the universal and also at the regional lovel. There is, of course, a need for the principle of "burden-sharing" to be given concrete expression in specific refugee situations, and it is one of the High Commissionor's constant preoccupations to ensure that appropriate arrangements are made to relieve the burden of first-asylum countries, by finding resettlement opportunities, providing care and maintenance pending resettlement and, where appropriate, helping to frame local settlement projects. While countries of first asylum may in certain refugee situations understandably consider that such arrangements for "burden-sharing" are inadequate both as regards the speed with which they are made and their actual scope, this cannot justify a disregard of the principle of non-refoulement or the refusal of temporary admission if this would lead to unnecessary hardship. These matters are not negotiable.
4. It is to be noted that in other parts of the world also refugees have, in certain cases, been refused asylum, have been returned to their country of origin in disregard of the principle of non-refoulement, or have been subjected to measures of expulsion in circumstances not justified by article 32 of the 1951 Refugee Convention, or to long periods of arbitrary detention.
5. These disquieting developments call for a reaffirmation by Governments of the basic rules and principles established in the humanitarian field for the protection of refugees and asylum-seekors. There is, moreover, an urgent need to give those principles greater effect through the adoption of necessary implementing measures at the national level. It should be recalled that such measures have an impact going beyond their immediate scope, and thus serve to strengthen and consolidate the entire framework of international protection.
Specific problems
6.
In regard to asylum, it is of the utmost importance that Governments take the necessary administrative measures to ensure that all persons sccking asylum at. their borders are granted temporary admission to enable their request to be examined. Such measures are of special importance in situations where a refusal of temporary admission may result in very serious - and sometimes irreparable
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consequences for the asylum-seeker.
7. Where refugee status is a criterion for the grant of asylum, it is partic- ularly necessary that requests be examined under appropriate procedures for determining refugee status. Recent experience has again shown that the basic rights of refugees including protection against refoulement - can be disregarded because a refugee has not been identified as such. While it is gratifying to note that a number of Governments, following the conclusions made by the Executive Committee at its twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth sessions, have either established procedures or are actively considering this possibility, an acceleration in the rate of progress would be of particular significance at the present juncture.