TNAG-0792-FCO40-996-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 28

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The delegation should announce that, subject to Parliamentary approval, the British Government's contribution to the 1979 General Programme will be £3.5 million (three million five hundred thousand pounds sterling). This will represent about 8.8% of the total estimated requirement for next year's General Programme.

Item 8: Any Other Questions

The delegation may wish to raise any other questions it deems appropriate and which may arise in the light of the preceding discussions of the Committee.

Tactics

The delegation has discretion to decide these.

Background

4. The General Assembly at its Fourth Session in 1949 decided to appoint a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to pro- tect their interests. The High Commissioner's rôle was initially non-operational and limited mainly to the international protection of refugees. Subsequently, in 1952, the General Assembly authorised the High Commissioner to appeal for voluntary funds to enable aid to be given to refugees within his mandate.

5. The Executive Committee was established by General Assembly Resolution 1066 (XII) of 2 December 1957. The Committee is presently composed of representatives from 31 member states elected to serve for an indefinite period by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), on the basis of wide geographical representation from those countries demonstrating an interest in, and devotion to, the solution of the refugee problem. At the second regular session of ECOSOC in 1978, a resolution was adopted by consensus calling for the size of the Executive Committee to be increased by up to nine additional seats. The new members to be appointed will be decided at the second regular session of ECOSOC in 1979.

6. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports on the exercise of his functions to the Committee which meets in October in Geneva each year. The terms of reference of the Executive Committee are set out in General Assembly Resolution 1166 (XII) as follows:

a) to advise the High Commission, at his request, in the exercise

of his functions under the Statute of his Office;

b) to advise the High Commissioner as to whether it is appropriate

for international assistance to be provided through his office in order to help solve specific refugee problems remaining unsolved after 31 December 1958 or arising after that date;

c) to authorise the High Commissioner to make appeals for

funds to enable him to solve the problems referred to in sub-paragraph (b) above;

/d) to

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