TNAG-1542-FCO40-2106-United-Nations-High-Commissioner-for-Refugees-(UNHCR)-Execut-1986 — Page 248

ODE 18-77

Mr. Chace

CONFIDENTIAL

هیم

-

26-).

Reference

Exi 243/56

1

Encik Out (A) This is curate tuming in to

Thank

61 C

A

(alte

interesting.. Afghanistan refugees, where there is quite a crabitable

I imicin stung to fell and (B) Whedon capire.com

your we should try to see CALL ON UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE

- I visit khomasson Later on com Afghan we caption camp, if lint can be

ن عني

12

175

1. On 9 April I called on 'Angelo Rasanayagam, the Head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Tehran. The Iranians had originally asked for the office to be established in 1981, when the refugee problem was most acute. In the event, it did so only in the autumn of 1984, with Mr Rasanayagam as its head.

2. Mr Rasanayagam's official contacts were mainly with the Ministries of the Interior and Foreign Affairs. The former devolved responsibility to the Central Council for Afghan Refugees. Its staff was split between Tehran and the provinces. In Tehran, they were numerous and well intentioned, but not very effective. By contrast, its provincial staff were able and coped well. They were also well disposed towards the UNHCR. The Council had offices in most provinces, although a high proportion of their staff (50 people) worked in Khorasan, where there were 600,000 refugees.

3.

The UNHCR 1984 budget was US $7.5 million, rising to $10 million in 1985 and is $11.8 this year. In 1984, most :- bought emergency supplies e.g. medicines, medical equipment, tents, vehicles and water pumps, for which the Iranians had given the UNHCR a shopping list. A greater proportion of the 1985 and 1986 budgets had been and would be spent on longer term projects, primarily the equipping of reception areas and buying and assembling pre-fabricated medical centres.

4. The Iranians had either built the reception areas since 1981 or converted existing buildings. UNHCR funds had then been used to equip them. By the end of 1986 it was hoped, and anticipated, that 7 transit camps and 14 reception/ quarantine camps would be functioning. Both tended to be located 50 to 100 kms from the border to prevent the immediate border areas becoming clogged with refugees. The transit camps housed 1,000 refugees, and were for short term occupation. Refugees spent up to three months in the reception/quarantine camps, which housed 5,000, where they were registered, given thorough medicals, and allotted a final destination.

5. The UNHCR expected to become involved shortly in two further projects, the creation of two rural settlements and the creation of vocational training schemes in various cities. The Ministry of Interior was at present coordinating the work of the various government organisations e.g. the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Energy, the Jihad carrying out the necessary ground work. The UNHCR would become involved in an advisory capacity only after this ground work was completed and the Iranians had notified the UNHCR of their priorities and requirements. One of the rural settlements would be near Iranshahr, in Sistan and Baluchestan

CONFIDENTIAL

/province,