| Parliamentary Assembly Assembl�e parlementaire |
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Activities of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Doc. 10133
13 April 2004
Motion for a recommendation
presented by Mr Hancock and others
This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it
1. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was established in 1950 to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Today, UNHCR is one of the world's main humanitarian agencies, its staff of more than 5,000 personnel assisting some 20 million people in more than 120 countries.
2. The Parliamentary Assembly holds UNHCR's work and aims in the highest consideration and maintains close co-operation with this agency through its Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population. On the basis of reports prepared by this Committee, since 1980 the Assembly has adopted several recommendations on the activities of UNHCR, including Recommendation 1525 (2001) on UNHCR and the 50th anniversary of the Geneva Convention. The participation of Ruud Lubbers, the High Commissioner for Refugees, in the Assembly debate was an invaluable opportunity to remind Council of Europe member states of their absolute responsibility in ensuring the protection of refugees from persecution and human rights violations.
3. The Assembly follows with special attention UNHCR's activities in Europe, and in particular in war-torn areas such as the Balkans and north Caucasus; likewise the Assembly follows UNHCR's activities aimed at ensuring that the creation of a EU common policy on asylum and migration is fully consistent with the 1951 Refugee Convention and human rights standards.
4. The Assembly attaches overarching importance to the need of finding durable solutions for refugees in today's changing world. As highlighted by UNHCR's Global Consultations, there are gaps in the current refugee protection system which need an urgent response. In this context the Assembly welcomes the Convention Plus Initiative aimed at improving refugee protection through special multilateral agreements in a spirit of international co-operation.
5. The Assembly, therefore, asks the Committee of Ministers:
i. to continue and reinforce the co-operation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees;
ii. to encourage Council of Europe member states to support the Convention Plus Initiative.
Signed
[1]:
Hancock, United Kingdom, LDR
Branger, France, EPP/CD
Brunhart, Liechtenstein, EPP/CD
Cliveti, Romania, SOC
Hoffmann, Germany, SOC
Ilascu, Romania, NR
Iwinski, Poland, SOC
Judd, United Kingdom, SOC
Lambert, Belgium, SOC
Le Guen, France, SOC
Platvoet, Netherlands, NR
Rauber, Germany, EPP/CD
Rivolta, Italy, EPP/CD
Wilkinson, United Kingdom, EDG
Y��ez-Barnuevo, Spain, SOC
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SOC |
Socialist Group |