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NATIONS

Distx-. GENERAL

GENERAL

A/2999 19 October 1955"

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Tenth session

. Age nde item 27

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ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

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UN/SA COLLECTION REPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMrv1ISSIONER

s

FOR REFUGEES

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Report of the Third Committee 111-................., ..... _•. ...................



~por~':!:!. :

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Mr"

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Hermod LANNUNG (Denmarkl .'

1. The General Assembly, ~t its 530th plenary meeting held on ;0 September 1955, ailocated to the Third Committee the item entitled ItReportof the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees".

The Committee considered the item at its 625th to 632nd meetings· held . between 4 and 10 October 1955-

The Committee had before it the report of the

; High commissioner!! and chapter V, 2/ . Social Council.=.J

~ection

IV,

o~

the report of the Economic and

At the 625th meeting, the High CClDlmissioner made a sta.tement in which he

reviewed the acti vi tles of his Office during the : particularly during the ~a~t year.

f~ ve

year s of its existence and

He reminded the Committee that the Office

,always followed the principle that the refugee should be

left.~ntirely

.

~

free to

.

. choose the solution to his problem, whether it be return to the country of origin,

,resettlement in another country or integration in the receiving country. He described the progress achieved in the solution of the refugee problem . ·especially since the replacement of the Advisory Committee by an Executive ,

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See Official~ecords o~~he,General Assembly, lio. 11, documents A!2902 and Add.l. Ibid., Supple!OOnt No. 3, document

AI 29~'

Ten~h S~sslon, SU2E~~~en~

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comuittee.il ~ith regard to the question of the protection of'refugees, the High Commissioner recalled that two problems arose: that of the right of asylum and that of the status of the refugee. He hoped that the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees, already ratified by fifteen States, would be ratified by a greater number before long. He was seriously concerned about the lack of funds required by his Office to carry out its programme of permanent solutions as approved by the Executive Committee. He stated that it had been estimated that $4,200,000 would be needed for 1955 and $4,400,000 for 1956. He paid tribute to those States which had shown generosity and stressed the part played by voluntary organ~zations in the carrying out of the UNREF projects. At the 629th meeting, the High Commissioner gave additional information in reply to the questions of various delegations.• 4. During the discussion, the majority of the representatives expressed the appreciation of their Gover~ents for the work of the Office of the High Commissioner and their support of his programme for promoting permanent solutions through voluntary repatriation, resettlement and integration. Some representatives advocated greater emphasis on the voluntary repatriation of refugees and mentioned recent legislation enacted in ~,their countries concerning returned di~placed persons and refugees. Severa.l delegations observed that voluntary repatriation had not in fact proved to be an effective solution of the problem and that, therefore, the High Commissioner should continue his efforts to effect permanent solutions in accordance with his responsibility to provide international protection for the refugees as laid do~n in the statute of his Office. 5. Several rep!esentatives expressed their disappointment at the failure of Governments to respond more generously to the need for funds to implement the programme established by General Assembly resolution 8;2 (IX) and indicated their concern that failure to reach the approved~targets might jeopardize the success of the four-year programme. The United Nations High Commissioner's Advisory Committee for Refugees was esta.blishedpy Economic and Social Council resolution ;9; B (XIII). This resolution was subsequently amended by Council resolution 565 (XIX) in order to reconstitute the Committee as an Executive Committee, to be known as the United Nations Refugee Fund (UNREF) Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is composed of twenty States, Members and non·members of the United Nations. For the list of members see Official Records of the General Assembly, Tenth Session, Supplement No. ;, document A/294;, paragraph 4.

6.

Several

work in the f his hope that

7. A draft (A/Cu;/L.463) Refugees woul the displaced matter in ace resolution sI of the United countries of 0 to provide ref legislation en protect.ion, of arising during It also instru all necessary were still une 8.. A second ~nmark, the and Northern accordance wit of the High Co that under his solutions for resettlement a efforts to effe international p would note with that the main e of refugee S in considera.tion t the targets for

A/2999

English Page :;

6.

Several representatives stressed the importance of the High Commissioner's

work in the field of legal protection of refugees and associated themselves with his hope that the 1951 Convention would be ratified. by more countries.

7. A draft resolutj.on was submitted by the Union of Soviet Socialist· Republics (A/Cu:;/L.463) according to which the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees would be instructed to assist in every way possible the early return of the displaced persons and refugees to their~countries of origin, acting in this matter in accordance with· the principle of voluntary repatriation. The draft resolution also provided for the prohibition of propaganda against the interests of the United Nations or any of its Members, or propaganda hostile to the countries of origin o~ displaced persons and refugees. It ~alled for arrangements to provide refugees with information in their own languages concerning the legislation enacted for the amnesty or freedom from prosecut~on, ~nd a~so for t~. protect~on, of those displaced persons and refugees who, in certain circum~tances arising during the Second World. War had acted improperly towards their countrie~. It also instructed the High Commissioner and appealed to the Governments ,to take all necessary steps to prOVide work for those displaced persons and refugees who were still unemployed. 8.. A second draft resolution was submitted by Australia, Belgium, Costa Rica, . ~nmark, the Netherlands, NorwaX, Sweden, the United ,Kingdom of Great Britai~ . , and Northern Ireland ~nd the United States of America (A/C.:;/L.464). In' accordance with this resolution, the General Assembly, taking note of the ~ orts of the High Commissioner and of the UNREF Executive' Committee, and considering that under his statute the High Commissi~ner was charged with tqe.duty of seeking solutions for the problems of refugees through voluntary rep8t;;;'ia~ion, resettlement and integratiaa" would request the High Commissioner to contin~e his efforts to effect solutions by the three above-mentioned means to provide international protection to refugees within his mandate. The General Assembly would note with satisfaction that the UNREF Executive Committee had directed that the main emphasis of the programme should be on the reduqtion of the number of refugees in camps. It would urge Governments to give early and serious considera.tion to making contributions to the United Nations Refugee Fund in tht;3.t., the targets for 1955 and 1956 might be 9.ttained. . . . . . . . . .

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9.

In f

At the suggestion of the representative of Uruguay, the sponsors of the

nine-Power draft resolution amend.ed the first paragraph of the prea.mble in order to include a reference to resolution 832 (IX) (A/C.3/L.464/~ev.l). 10..

'dome delegations thought that a compromise might be found between the two

draft resolutions.

Subsequently, Saudi Arabia suggested (A/C.3/L.4Q5) a number q

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of ,amendments to the USSR draft resolution.

The USSR accepted all these and Again

other oral amendments made by the representative of Saudi Arabia. 11.

Abata

At the 6;lst meeting, a final verSlon of the text of the USSR draft

re,solution (A/C:;/L.463!Rev.l) was circulated. 12. The revi.sed USSR draft resolution was rejected by the Committee, on a

14. The a

roll-call vote requested by the representative of Saudi Arabia, by 29 votes to

to continue order to co

14, with 10 abstentions, as follows: In favour:

Afghanistan, Byelorussian Soviet Social~st Republic, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Yeme~ Yugoslavia.

Against:

Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealan~, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Sweden, Turkey, Union of South Africa, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela.

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1;.

Abstain1ng,:_Burma, Chile, Colombie, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, MeXico, Pakistan, Thailand. The Committee voted as follows on the revised nine-Power joint draft

resolution (A/C.3/L.464/Rev.l): (a) Paragraph 1 of the preamble, on a separate vote requested by the representative of Venezuela, was adopted by 38 votes to none, with 13 abstentions. (b) Operative paragraph 3, on a separate vote requested by the representative of Venezuela, was adopted by 35 votes to none, with 17 abstentions; (c) The revised draft resolution as a whole, on a roll-call vote requested by the representative of the Dominican Republic, was adopted by 42 votes to none,

15. The Th adoption of

The Ge Having for Refugee CommitteeY General As se Bearing

29 July 1955 Conside .Refugees is ( refugees thrc Noting to the Unite

with 14 abstentions, as follows:

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-See Offi No. 11,

··Ale.999· English

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In favour:

Ageinst :

Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, CUba, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Iran, .Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Sweden, Turkey, Union of South Africa, United Kingdom of Great Britain an~orthern Ireland, United States of America, Uruguay, Yugoslavia. None.

Abstaining: Burma, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Thailand, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Venezuela, Yemen. The Oommittee agreed that the Negotiating Committee should be authorized

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14.



to continue to undertake any negotiations that it might consider necessary in order to collect voluntary contributions for the United Nations Refugee Fund.

15. The Third Commdttee therefore recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the follOWing resolution: REPORT OF TEE UNrrED, NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES

The General Assembly, Having taken note of the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees with the annexed report of the United Nations Refugee Fund Executive committeell and the progress which has been made in the implementation of ii

General Assembly resolution 832 (IX) of 21 October 1954, Bearing in mind Economic and Soci.al Council resolution 589 (XX) of

29 July 1955, Considering that under the statute of his Office the High Commissioner for Refugees is charged with the duty of seeking solutions for the problems of refugees through voluntary repatriation, resettlement and integration, • • Noting with concern that the approved target for governmental contribut10ns

to the

Unit~d

Nations Refugee Fund for 1955 has not yet been reached,

See Official Records of the General Assemblyz Tenth Session, Supplement. No. 11, documents A!2902 and Add.l.

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GEN 1.

Requests the United Nations High COlnmissioner for Refugees to continue "

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his efforts· to effect· solutions by the above-mentioned means, under . . . due safeguards

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to be applied by him in. accordance with his responsibility under the statute of his Office to provide international protection to refugees within his mandate; 2."

Notes with sati~f~0tion _______...........'. . _'...... oo4l_ that the United Nations Refugee Fund Executive

Committee, in 1&7ir:.g

n~\'y(). t,J.J.2

Tenth sess Agenda ite

J?ril1ciples which are to govern the implementation

of the programn:e for. :D0rr.'8,j.l,e;1·:,:; Golutio:J.s und.er General Assembly resolution 832 (IX), thsma.';':l~:'llhn.;:ds ,of'

has directed that

of the number of ref"seaa

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the rrogrelmme should be on the reduction

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!!!'g~? sta~es f'iJs·:.bb:~8 and

non'..member's of the United Nations to give

early and seriolls cO~J..:;i.'':'l~J~b.ti.''';n 'to making contributions to the United Nations . .. . . Refugee Fund in order tr.ac. tl1C targets for 1955 and 1956 may be attained and the .

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High Commissioner enabled fully to implement the programmes planned for those years.

!:~ add the fo

a.ccordance

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55 ..25643

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