TNAG-1800-FCO40-2560-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-principle-of-first-asylum-1988 — Page 3

all possible assistance should be given for the tracing of relatives

adequate provision should be made for the protection of minors and unaccompanied children

the sending and receiving of mail should be allowed;

material assistance from friends or relatives should be permitted:

appropriate arrangements should be made, where possible, for the registration of births, deaths and marriages

they should be granted all the necessary facilities to enable them to obtain a satisfactory durable solution

they should be permitted to transfer assets which they have brought into the territory to the country where the durable solution is obtaine and:

(p) all steps should be taken to facilitate voluntary repatriation.

CO-OPERATION WITH THE OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS

HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES

Asylum seekers shall be entitled to contact the Office of UNHCR. UNHCR shall be given access to asylum seekers. UNHCR shall also be given the possibility of exercising its function of international protection and shall be allowed to supervise the well-being of persons entering reception or other refugee centres.

IV.

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY, BURDEN SHARING AND DUTIES OF STATES

(1)

A mass influx may place unduly heavy burdens on certain countries; a satisfactory solution of a problem international in scope and nature cannot be achieved without international co-operation. States shall, within the framework of international solidarity and burden sharing, take all necessary measures to assist, at their request, States which have admitted asylum seekers in large-scale influx situations.

(2) Such action should be taken bilaterally or multilaterally

at the regional or at the universal levels and in co-operation with UNHCR, as appropriate. Primary consideration should be given to the possibility of finding suitable solutions within the regional context.

(3)

Action with a view to burden sharing should be directed towards facilitating voluntary repatriation, promoting local settlement in the receiving country, providing resettlement possibilities in third countries, as appropriate.

(4) The measures to be taken within the context of such burden

sharing arrangements should be adapted to the particular