Source: The Guardian (20 April 05)
Authors: Patrick Wintour, Alan Travis and Nicholas Watt

The UN’s body for refugees, the UNHCR, said yesterday that Conservative plans to curb immigration and withdraw from the Geneva convention on refugees would increase the number of asylum seekers.

The UNHCR has disclosed that it met the Conservative front bench twice in recent months to express its unease about the party’s plans. The UN body said yesterday it would consider withholding its cooperation were a Tory government to try to impose a quota of refugees drawn from a UNHCR-supplied list.

The body is opposed to the Tories’ proposal to withdraw from the Geneva convention. “The 1951 convention is one of the main human rights conventions in the world and to withdraw from it would have a detrimental effect on the commitment of other European countries,” a spokesman said. The UNHCR’s London representative, Anne Dawson-Shepherd, said withdrawal would trigger further and more uncontrolled asylum flows.

To read the full article, go to UN says Tory plans will boost flow of asylum seekers

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