From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Wed Oct 25 2000 - 09:34:20 EDT
NO FLOW OF REFUGEES FROM AFGHANISTAN EXPECTED IN NEAR FUTURE - OGATA
MOSCOW. Oct 25 (Interfax) - U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees
Sadako Ogata has said she believes there is not likely to be a large
outpouring of refugees from Afghanistan in the near future.
She made such a conclusion "on the basis of information obtained
from employees of the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human
Rights working in Afghanistan," she said at a news conference at the
Interfax main office in Moscow on Wednesday.
Representatives of the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for
Human Rights in Afghanistan say they do not have information supporting
the idea that a large number of refugees from Afghanistan may cross the
Tajik and other borders in the near future, Ogata said.
Regarding the situation in Afghanistan, Ogata said that according
to her information, the northern part of the country is not controlled
by the Taliban, but individual military operations are being carried out
there.
There are many Afghan refugees in Russia, but few of them request
asylum, she said.
The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees does not
directly provide assistance to refugees from Afghanistan, but interacts
with organizations that do, Ogata said.
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