TNAG-1543-FCO40-2107-United-Nations-High-Commissioner-for-Refugees-(UNHCR)-Execut-1986 — Page 66

CODE 18-77

AWO Ltd. 7/84

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Reference...

4.

Belgium spoke about the need for dialogue with delegations, for a global strategy on refugees, and about the reorganisation and finance of UNHCR. In particular they expressed the hope that the next report of the auditors would see improvement in the financial management of UNHCR and greater evaluation control of its projects. They supported the work of the Sub-Commission on International Protection, on detention, armed attacks on refugee camps, and irregular movements. Finally they spoke on asylum seekers in Europe saying that illegal migrants were abusing the asylum procedures.

The process of screening these illegal migrants out from mandate refugees took some years and it detracted from the assistance/sympathy for genuine refugees. There was a need for prompt and effective international efforts in order to slow this flow of illegal migrants. New legislation was coming up in Belgium to replace existing procedures for determining refugee status.

In

5. Norway spoke on virtually all the subjects covered by the High Commissioner's speech: burden-sharing, asylum seekers, root causes of refugee problems, human rights, military attacks on refugee camps, women and children refugees, the situation in Southern Sudan, detention, durable solutions, voluntary repatriation, local integration and aid/development, the 20 or More Programme, finance of UNHCR and the reorganisation. particular they pointed out the danger that in public opinion distinction is not made between illegal migrants and genuine (mandate) refugees. The latter may be discredited in the eyes of a large part of the population and the flow of illegal migrants constitutes a serious strain on the resources intended for the reception and resettlement of mandate refugees. Norway has felt compelled

to streamline procedures and improve identity control. On root causes, Norway felt that the reasons were often poverty and under development but that the main reason was the non-observance of basic human rights be they political, religious or racial. They expressed also their continued concern at the increasing resort to justified detention of refugees and asylum seekers. Finally they stated that refugee assistance should, wherever possible, be shifted from relief to self-sufficiency projects of a more permanent character and be linked to development efforts in host countries. They supported the idea of creating an internationally accepted list of refugee affected countries that would be entitled to special treatment in terms of international development assistance. The High Commissioner should be given a mandate to explore this possibility further.

16.