A/AC.96/579 page 5
20. The High Commissioner has particularly welcomed the further strengthening of the close collaboration that exists between the OAU and his Office. He has also been gratified by the further development of co-operation between his Office and the Organization of American States and the Arab League. Liaison has also been established between UNHCR and the Islamic Conference, and the High Commissioner looks forward to working closely with this organization in the future.
21. The High Commissioner wishes to express once again his special appreciation for the close and fruitful co-operation which exists between his Office and the Council of Europe in regard to the international protection of refugees. He greatly welcomes the adoption by the Committee of Ministers, on 30 April 1980, of the European Agreement on the transfer of responsibility for refugees who move lawfully from one member State of the Council of Europe to another and the examination within the Council of Europe of a number of important questions affecting the legal situation of refugees with a view to finding appropriate solutions.
Positive developments in regard to dissemination of refugee law
22. The importance of the dissemination of refugee law as a means of increasing the effectiveness of international protection was recognized by the Executive Committee at its twenty-ninth and thirtieth sessions. A report on the further action taken by the Office in this matter and of the results achieved is given in document A/AC.96/INF.161 submitted to the Committee at its present session.
Conclusions
23. As will be seen from the preceding paragraphs, there are a number of problems in the field of international protection which call for urgont solutions due to their serious implications for asylum-seekers and refugees.
24. In regard to asylum, the particularly precarious situation in which asylum-seekers frequently find themselves could be progressively remedied by an increasing willingness of States to grant durable rather than temporary asylum whenever possible. Where States feel compelled to grant asylum on a temporary basis efforts should be made to provide asylum-seckers with satisfactory living conditions until durable solutions are found for them. Efforts should also be made to discontinue practices - resulting in considerable hardship for the individuals concerned - whereby asylum-sockers are, as a matter of principle, regarded as "illegal immigrants".
25. The recurrence of cases in which refugees have been forcibly returned to their country of origin in disregard of the recognized principle of non-refoulement gives rise to particularly grave concern, as does the growing problem of pirate attacks on asylum-seekers.
26. Developments in regard to accession to the basic international instruments relating to refugees are encouraging, but there is still a continuing need for further progress.