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and had become a political document.
They asked for time to put
the draft principles before legal advisers particularly as it had only appeared during the Session. There was strong G77 pressure,
especially from the Africans, for consensus on the entire text. After discussion a second draft was produced, if anything, even more political. The calls for additional time were quite legitimate. Mr Kharma expressed his disappointment in public and in private. But ExCom's reaction to the set of principles supported the cautious approach.
22. Introducing the item in plenary the Director of Protection criticised attempts by certain countries to discourage asylum- seekers. This raising of barriers was most regrettable and threatened the delicate balance between refugee problems and UNHCR's ability to deal with them. Such a threat endangered the very foundations of international protection. The temptation to be draconian measures to discourage refugees was understandable in times of economic recession and widespread unemployment, but should be resisted. He urged a re-examination of the global refugee problem. "If political mechanisms do not work, the humanitarian machinery risks being progressively paralysed." UNHCR must continue to play its humanitarian role but it should not be imagined that the High Commissioner can do the impossible. He did not have "the magic
solution" to problems which states cannot resolve. But he could
pursue initiatives such as direct action in the field, diplomatic efforts to produce a favourable international climate and the development of positive legal standards.
23. Discussion in ExCom mirrored that in the Sub-Committee. Countries which adopted restrictive measures when considering applications from asylum-seekers were widely criticised, although some speakers showed understanding of the background. There were
many calls for international solidarity in the field of protection
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