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on the rules of procedure (please see correspondence resting with my letter of 30 April and UNHCR letter of 23 May, copied to you). We shall need to know whether you wish us to comment on the Working Group on Documentation: otherwise, we assume that we can join a consensus in accepting the report.
6. Item 4 (General Debate) allows heads of delegation to make wide- ranging statements after the High Commissioner has made his statement. This year we have been asked to keep such statements to five minutes. (A fuller text can, however, be circulated.) It would be useful to know which aspects of UNHCR's work should be highlighted in our speech.
7. The Home Office normally provides briefing for International Protection Matters (Item 5), but I hope FCO departments will comment on two specific issues: armed attacks on refugee camps and irregular movements (asylum- seekers in Europe). I have written separately on the subject of armed attacks, as this is a highly contentious issue, and we need to give careful thought to the position that the United Kingdom will take in both the sub- committee and the plenary.
8. The High Commissioner will report on the progress of the Working Groups on Iranian and Tamil Asylum-Seekers. He is watching this subject closely: in particular, cases of failed asylum-seekers and new policies in European countries. Our recent decision to return to India a failed Tamil asylum- seeker has not gone unnoticed (please see my letter UN 243/507/1 of 11 August and your telegram number 326 of 21 August). We shall presumably want to say something on asylum-seekers in Europe.
9. UNHCR hope that Item 5 speakers will congratulate the 100th and 101st accessions to the Protocol (Papua New Guinea and Venezuela) and suspect that Australia or Canada may raise the question of protection of refugee women. We would appreciate a line to take on rescue at sea (RASRO) and the Thai Anti-Piracy arrangement which will also be considered under Item 5.
10. Item 6 incorporates assistance, durable solutions and refugee aid and development. These are important aspects of UNHCR's work and ones which cause donor countries some difficulties. The Deputy High Commissioner intends to present, at the Open House, UNHCR's new ideas on the principles of assistance. and durable solutions, including the priorities as UNHCR see them. Under assistance, general points such as the African Emergency Programme can be raised which would leave specific points on country programmes for Item 7. Background briefing for the subject of refugees in Southern Africa would be particularly welcome.
11. Refugees in Algeria (Tindouf) will also be considered under Item 6. This issue is again likely to be troublesome this year - please see the Ambassador's letter to Mr Nixon, NENAD, of 19 June. We shall try to prevent the matter proceeding to a vote.
12.
Under durable solutions we have been corresponding separately on whether the United Kingdom should raise the question of refugees in South East Asia, particularly in the context of the Honolulu Group (correspondence resting
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