TNAG-1542-FCO40-2106-United-Nations-High-Commissioner-for-Refugees-(UNHCR)-Execut-1986 — Page 227

CONFIDENTIAL

Mrs J D Wyeth

Disaster and Refugee Unit

Bilateral Co-ordination Department

ODA

Eland House

Stag Place

London SW1

VENEZUELA

BRITISH EMBASSY

CARACAS

532,

21 August 1986

(1281) refers.

A

To creeping.

Dear Wyn Wyeth,

UNHCR PROGRAMMES IN SOUTH AMERICA

1. Charles de Chassiron in SAmD, FCO, wrote to us on the above 444 subject on 31 July.

(444) BUD

2. Insofaras Venezuela is concerned we have spoken to the Ministry of the Interior who tell us that there are no refugees in Venezuela. The legal status of 'refugee' does not exist here. Any person wishing to enter Venezuela for political reasons has to be admitted as an "asylee". In the last few years the Venezuelans have admitted four (including one from Cuba and one from Czechoslovakia). Several other Cubans have tried to enter as asylees but have either been returned or moved on to other countries.

3.

This information does not exactly square with that contained in para 828 of the UNHCR document attached to your minute of 24 July. As instructed, we have not spoken to the ISS Representative here. I might add in conclusion that Venezuela has a massive illegal immigration problem; especially vis-a-vis Colombia.

GA

Mural Pawley

Rap Oshall cursor

OIR.)

M J Pawley

cc:

C. de Chassiron Esq,

SAMD,

FCO

CONFIDENTIAL