Iranian and Iraqi refugees and asylum-seekers in Turkey

Recommendation 1094 (1989)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 31 January 1989 (19th and 20th Sittings) (see Doc. 5995, report of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography, Rapporteur : Mrs Luuk). Text adopted by the Assembly on 31 January 1989 (20th Sitting).

Thesaurus

The Assembly

1. Recalling its Order No. 437 (1988) on Iranian refugees in Turkey ;

2. Noting that, after the cease-fire in the war between Iraq and Iran, about 52 000 people were compelled to leave Iraq and seek refuge or asylum in Turkey ;

3. Aware of the crucial problems caused to Turkey as a result of this new massive refugee flow ;

4. Paying tribute to the humanitarian assistance given to these refugees or asylum-seekers by the Turkish authorities ;

5. Having received information on the situation of Iranian and Iraqi refugees or asylum-seekers from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Amnesty International

6. Appreciating the difficulties facing Turkey in providing adequate living conditions, especially to the Iraqi refugees or asylum-seekers, in view of the harsh climatic conditions in the areas where they are provisionally settled ;

7. Desirous that the Turkish authorities continue to ascertain that those refugees returning to their country of origin do so of their own free will ;

8. Regretting that other countries have accepted only small numbers of Iranian refugees or asylum-seekers wishing to leave Turkey ;

9. Considering that the flow of Iranian and Iraqi refugees or asylum-seekers to Turkey has become a major refugee problem in Europe, and that Turkey should benefit from the duty of solidarity which links the member states of the Council of Europe ;

10. Recalling the appeal launched to the international community by the Turkish Government to support its efforts to meet the essential needs of Iranian and Iraqi refugees or asylum-seekers ;

11. Considering that the Council of Europe's Resettlement Fund for National Refugees and Over-Population in Europe constitutes a suitable instrument to implement European solidarity in this respect ;

12. Convinced that the maintenance of Turkey's geographical reservation to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol is a serious obstacle to international assistance ;

13. Noting that, during the past few months in Turkey, the Intergovernmental Committee for Migration (ICM) has assisted in the transfer of more than 1 000 Iranian refugees to countries willing to receive them,

14. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers :

a invite Turkey :

14.1.1 to consider withdrawing the geographical reservation to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, as already requested by the Assembly on several occasions ;

14.1.2 to submit specific projects for the benefit of Iranian and Iraqi refugees to the Council of Europe Resettlement Fund ;

14.1.3 to consider becoming a member of the Intergovernmental Committee for Migration (ICM) ;

14.1.4 to accept the assistance offered by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and intergovernmental organisations ;

14.1.5 to seek assistance from non-governmental organisations with recognised competence in dealing with refugees ;

b urge member states :

14.2.1 to aid Turkey financially to undertake projects aiming to provide humanitarian assistance to Iraqi refugees or asylum-seekers ;

14.2.2 to make special financial contributions to the Council of Europe Resettlement Fund in order to facilitate the financing of specific projects for Iranian and Iraqi refugees or asylum-seekers in Turkey ;

14.2.3 to give urgent consideration to receiving Iranian and Iraqi refugees or asylum-seekers within significant quotas ;

c call upon Iran and Iraq to allow the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to supervise the resettlement of refugees returning from Turkey.