CONCLUSIONS ADOPTED BY THE EXECUTIVE ... - UNHCR
CONCLUSIONS ADOPTED BY THE EXECUTIVE ... - UNHCR
CONCLUSIONS ADOPTED BY THE EXECUTIVE ... - UNHCR
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The Executive Committee,<br />
1979 (Executive Committee—30 th Session)<br />
<strong>CONCLUSIONS</strong> <strong>ADOPTED</strong><br />
<strong>BY</strong> <strong>THE</strong> <strong>EXECUTIVE</strong> COMMITTEE<br />
ON INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION OF REFUGEES 1<br />
No. 14 (XXX) GENERAL (1979)<br />
(a) Reiterated the fundamental importance of the international protection function exercised by the United<br />
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and of the principles established in this field which are not subject to<br />
any derogation;<br />
(b) Noted with appreciation the work of the Sub-Committee of the Whole on International Protection<br />
which had proved to be of great practical value to the High Commissioner's Office in its efforts to extend<br />
international protection to refugees;<br />
(c) Noted with concern that refugees had been rejected at the frontier or had been returned to territories<br />
where they had reasons to fear persecution in disregard of the principle of non-refoulement and that refugees<br />
arriving by sea had been refused even temporary asylum with resulting danger to their lives and had in many<br />
cases perished on the high seas;<br />
(d) Called upon all States to ensure that masters of vessels sailing under their flag scrupulously observed<br />
established rules regarding rescue at sea, and to take all necessary action to rescue refugees and displaced<br />
persons leaving their country of origin on boats in order to seek asylum and who are in distress;<br />
(e) Severely condemned recent inhuman attacks on refugee camps in southern Africa as a result of which<br />
numerous refugees, including women and children, had lost their lives and others had become permanently<br />
incapacitated, and expressed the hope that the necessary steps would be taken to protect refugees from such<br />
attacks and to assist the victims;<br />
(f) Considered it urgent that further States acceded to the 1951 Convention and to the 1967 Protocol and<br />
that States already parties to these instruments which had not yet done so adopt appropriate measures to<br />
implement their provisions especially as regards procedures for determining refugee status;<br />
(g) Took note with great appreciation of the work of the Conference on the Situation of Refugees in Africa<br />
held in Arusha (United Republic of Tanzania) from 7-17 April 1979 which it considered would represent a<br />
major contribution to the protection of refugees in Africa;<br />
(h) Recognized the importance of the dissemination of refugee law in increasing the effectiveness of<br />
international protection and noted with satisfaction the efforts being undertaken by the High Commissioner's<br />
Office in this matter as described in document A/AC.96/INF.159;<br />
(i) Expressed the wish to be kept regularly informed of the Office's activities and of the problems arising<br />
in the field of international protection.<br />
1 Contained in United Nations General Assembly Document No. 12A (A/34/12/Add.1)<br />
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