TNAG-1800-FCO40-2560-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-principle-of-first-asylum-1988 — Page 199

UNS 243111 (69)

ANNEX C+

STATEMENT IN UNHCR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL PECTECTION BY DR P WEIS

1979

+

I would like to thank the Secretariat for their Note on International Protection and introductory statement, and to express our grave concern about the events reported in para 2 of that Note such as refoulement, even mass refoulement, rejection at the frontiers, and return of vessels in distress to the high seas. We are also concerned about reports that the safety of refugees in endangered in certain countries, ie their physical integrity and liberty. Refugees are not only protected by the refugee instruments but also by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and such incidents are a violation of the obligations under this instrument. Non-refoulement and the obligation to rescue vessels in distress are, in the words of the International Court of Justice, "elementary consider- ations of humanity which apply regardless of treaty obligations. These principles must not be eroded by exceptions but scrupulously adhered to. I would express the firm hope that such violations will not continue in the future.

The dissemination of information on refugee law is not only a task for UNHCR but also for States. All competent officials should be informed of the special position of refugees and such steps would avoid refoulement or the return of refugees. The UK has ratified all refugee instru- ments including the Convention on the Reduction of Stateless- ness which regrettably has been ratified by few other States. We hope that more States will ratify this, the 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol. My delegation support the conclusions of the Sub Committee and hope they will be unanimously adopted.