OSCE Permanent Council commends UNHCR's action

VIENNA, 18 October 2001 (OSCE) - The 55-nation Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) adopted a statement at its plenary meeting today reaffirming the fundamental importance of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and commending the UNHCR for its ongoing actions to fully implement its mandate in a changing world and in the light of new challenges. "These instruments have provided a resilient protection regime within which millions of refugees have been able to find safety from persecution", reads the statement.

The adoption of the text coincided with the visit of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Ruud Lubbers, to the OSCE, where he addressed the plenary meeting of the Permanent Council.

2001 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, which together with its 1967 Protocol, remains the foundation of the international refugee protection regime.

The statement also expresses concerns that violations of human rights of refugees and internally displaced persons caused by conflicts endanger peace and stability in the OSCE region. The OSCE "remains committed to continue to address these problems", reads the text. It also welcomes the process of Global Consultations on International Protection initiated by the UNHCR to revitalize the international protection of refugees on the basis of a reaffirmation of the relevance and fundamental importance of the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees.

The OSCE participating States express their determination to contribute to the Global Consultations on International Protection undertaken by UNHCR and the first-ever meeting of States Parties, jointly organized by the Swiss Government and the UNHCR, with a view to strengthening the international refugee protection regime.

Finally, the statement encourages OSCE bodies, institutions and field missions to continue the close co-operation with the UNHCR, on the basis of the Platform for Co-operative Security and consistent with their respective mandates, in order to assist concerned participating States, where appropriate, in creating conditions conducive to the voluntary return and reintegration of refugees and internally displaced persons.