PAKISTAN: PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN AND THE U.N. PREPARE TO SIGN REFUGEE REPATRIATION AGREEMENT.

Record ID: 275211

  • Title: PAKISTAN: PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN AND THE U.N. PREPARE TO SIGN REFUGEE REPATRIATION AGREEMENT.
  • Date: 14th December 2002
  • Summary: (W3) ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (DECEMBER 13, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV/MV: AFGHANISTAN'S MINISTER FOR REFUGEES AND REPATRIATION, INAYATULLAH NAZARI, AND AFTAB SHERPAO, PAKISTAN MINISTER FOR WATER AND POWER AND NORTHERN REGION, ARRIVE FOR NEWS CONFERENCE; MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA (2 SHOTS) 0.08 2. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) AFTAB SHERPAO, PAKISTAN
  • Embargoed: 29th December 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN AND UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION, PAKISTAN
  • Country: Pakistan
  • Reuters ID: LVAE30TBV3S4WUC3LFS9H9JDIRVE
  • Story Text: Pakistan, Afghanistan and the U.N. refugee agency will
    sign an agreement in Geneva next month for the repatriation of
    more than 1.8 million Afghans, Pakistani and Afghan officials
    have said.



    A tripartite agreement will be signed in Geneva under
    which at least 400,000 Afghans would be repatriated every year
    over the next three years, Aftab Sherpao, minister for water
    and power and northern regions,told a news conference in the
    Pakistan capital Islamabad on Friday (December 13).

    " (A) tripartite agreement would be signed in Geneva and
    the High Commissioner for Afghan refugees, Mr. Ruud Lubbers,
    will also be present on the occasion.It says that a minimum of
    400,000 per year, but as you can see, in the past eight months
    1.6 million have returned. But, knowing the conditions in
    Afghanistan - and the infrastructure is not there; the
    absorption capacity is not there - it has been earmarked that
    in one year 400, 000 would be repatriated. But more than
    400,000 can go," Sherpao said.

    Afghanistan's Minister for Refugees and Repatriation,
    Inayatullah Nazari, who was also present on the occasion, said
    that his war-ravaged country needs massive contribution from
    the world community to ensure the return of the refugees.

    More than 1.6 million Afghans have returned from Pakistan
    since March, but more than 1.8 million remain and returnee
    numbers have fallen off dramatically because of the winter and
    the Afghan government's inability to provide basic facilities
    to them.

    The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says
    600,000 may return next year, but many of those still in
    Pakistan may be reluctant to do so on fears for their safety
    and economic considerations.

    Sherpao said that both Pakistan and Afghanistan are
    "committed" to implement the agreement under which the
    refugees would continue to receive humanitarian assistance.

    "Pakistan will ensure that refugees return voluntarily."
    An Afghan diplomat said that the agreement has been
    finalized, but the signing ceremony has been set in Geneva to
    ensure maximum commitment from the international community in
    the rehabilitation efforts.

    Under the proposed agreement, the Afghan and Pakistani
    governments and the UNHCR propose to continue assist voluntary
    returns for the next three years, subject to periodic review.

    After the three years, Afghans remaining in Pakistan would
    undergo screening to identify those who might be in need of
    refugee protection, the UNHCR says.

    UNHCR had said that the framework followed similar
    tripartite agreements on Afghan refugees with the governments
    of Iran, France and Britain.

    Many Afghan refugees, especially ethnic Pashtuns from
    northern Afghanistan are nervous about returning home due to
    ethnic rivalries in provinces where they are in the minority,
    U.N. officials say.

    There were concerns too about returns to southern
    provinces where U.S.-led coalition forces are still pursuing
    remnants of the former Taliban regime and al Qaeda, and which
    are also affected by drought.

    Nazari said that while security situation has improved in
    Afghanistan, the country remains unable to absorb the Afghans
    returning home because of devastated infra-structure and
    shattered economy.

    " If the world community helps in the reconstuction and
    rehabilitation of Afghanistan, automatically there will be
    absorption capacity in Afghanistan for these returnees,"
    Nazari said.

    He said his government needed help from the international
    community to provide water, education, health facilities and
    start other development projects.

    " And if the world community does not abide by the
    commitments that have been made for the rehabilitation and
    reconstruction of Aghanistan, I am sure we will have a lot of
    problems regarding these returnees," Nazari warned.



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