Vice FM Wang Guangya has urged the Ministerial Meeting of States Parties Wednesday in Geneva to address the existing refugee issues and seek durable solutions in a bid to safeguard world peace and promote common development. Wang called on the international community to work together to handle international affairs on the basis of equality, resolve international disputes through peaceful means, promote common prosperity and development of all countries and prevent at the root the reasons for the emergence of refugees.
Wang Guangya made the remarks at the Ministerial Meeting of States Parties on the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees, which started in Geneva Wednesday.
He pointed out that while coping with the refugee crisis, the international community should work together to handle international affairs on the basis of equality, resolve international disputes through peaceful means, promote common prosperity and development of all countries and prevent at the root the reasons for the emergence of refugees.
"Countries should actively seek new and effective measures consistent with the principles and spirit of the Convention in order to address new issues and problems in the international field," said Wang.
He pointed out that the refugee problem is a global issue, and closer international cooperation is an effective way for its resolution.
The Vice Foreign Minister stressed "it is of great importance to draw a clear line between the refugee issue and others, preventing the abuse of the protection regime and asylum policies as prescribed by the Convention."
He said: "Unrestrained expansion of the asylum procedures of the Convention would result in a negative impact on the international protection regime, conniving at illegal immigration and allowing criminals to go unpunished, thus doing harm to peace and stability of states and regions."
At the meeting, Wang Guangya also revealed what the Chinese government has done for the refugee issue.
He said that following its accession to the Convention and its Protocol in 1982, China has, as always, conscientiously fulfilled its international obligations and earnestly engaged in domestic legislation on refugee affairs.
"The Chinese government has received and extended effective protection to more than 280,000 Indo-Chinese refugees in spite of its own difficulties."
Around 80 ministers are attending the two-day conference which is co-hosted by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Swiss government.
The aim of the conference is to basically recognize the importance of the 1951 Convention as central to the international protection of refugees.
( December 13, 2001)
