TNAG-0892-FCO40-1102-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 153

E/1979/95 page 16

is similar, although in some respects less favourable, to that accorded to refugees under the 1951 Convention. The 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness provides, inter alia, that a Contracting State shall grant its nationality (either by operation of law at birth or through application at a later date) to persons in its territory who would otherwise be stateless and who satisfy one or more specified conditions. In facilitating the acquisition of nationality at birth, the 1961 Convention is also of value in helping to avoid the perpetuation of refugee status.

With

67. During the period under review there were no further accessions to the 1954 Convention, the total of States parties to which therefore remained at 32. the accession of Canada to the 1961 Convention, the total of States parties thereto rose to 10.

68.

The Office has continued to act, pursuant to General Assembly resolutions 3274 (XXIX) and 31/36, as the body to which a person claiming benefit of the 1961 Convention may apply for examination of his claim and for assistance in presenting it to the appropriate authority.

69. Further extension of the international legal framework for the protection of refugees constitutes an essential part of the Office's statutory protection function. This necessarily implies both reviewing existing relevant international instruments with a view to promoting the extension of their provisions to refugees where appropriate and following work in international bodies which could either directly or indirectly affect the legal position of refugees.

70.

Thus, during the period under review the Office attended both the Special Committee of Governmental Experts to prepare a draft Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in Arab States and the subsequent International Conference which adopted the Convention. (The latter instrument includes a provision which, under certain conditions, would benefit refugees and stateless persons). Similarly, the Office attended the Special Committee of Governmental Experts to prepare a draft Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in States of the European Region and meetings of the Preparatory Intergovernmental Committee on the Revision of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. Other meetings which UNHCR continued to follow included United Nations Human Rights bodies and the Ad Hoc Committee of the General Assembly on the Drafting of an International Convention against the taking of Hostages.