PRO ASYL Press Release
19. March 2003
Mr. Blair is preparing next break of international law
His aim is the dismantling of the individual right to political asylum in Europe.
PRO ASYL appeals to Federal Chancellor: „Reject „Blair proposal“ at the EU-summit!“
- Blair bereitet nächsten Bruch des Völkerrechts vor
Demontage des individuellen Asylrechts in Europa ist das Ziel
PRO ASYL appelliert an den Bundeskanzler: „Blair-Initiative beim EU-Gipfel zurückweisen!“ - Mr. Blair is preparing next break of international law
His aim is the dismantling of the individual right to political asylum in Europe.
PRO ASYL appeals to Federal Chancellor: „Reject „Blair proposal“ at the EU-summit!“
RESSOURCEN
„New Vision for Refugees“
INFO
(partially translated)
This is a machine translation by the IBM-supported PERSONAL TRANSLATOR plus. It is slightly edited by combining its results with the translation of SYSTRAN. But you should not rely on it. If you want to use a translated text append or reference the original text.
The British Prime Minister Tony Blair intends to present a draft proposal that presentsa break of international law at the EU-summit on March 21st/22nd 2003. Tony Blair wants to tear up the very roots of international regufee rights. Under the heading „New Vision for Refugees“ the British government has developed a draft proposal which assaults the right to political asylum in Europe in its very substance. At the core of the proposal is the intention to transfer refugee protection to regions of origin and to dismantle the Geneva Refugee Convention and the European Human Rights Convention in the medium term.
The idea is to immediately transfer refugees, who have succeeded in reaching European grounds, to so-called „protection zones“ in the regions of origin. An essential part of the vision is for Great Britain, together with other EU-member states, to set up a worldwide network of such refugee reservations. In the designated zones, asylum applications will be processed, preferably under the aegis of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The participation of the latter, as assumed by the British, will give the plan greater legitimacy and international reputation. A small number of those seeking protection in the region will then be granted entry into a Western host country based solely on political estimation. The bigger part shall remain in the regions of origin and shall be quickly resettled in their countries of origin. In the medium term, the British proposal, „for refugees against asylum seekers“ attempts to dismantle individual right to political asylum in Europe.
„The achievements made in the development of human rights after the Second World War, the civilized responses to barbarianism are thus put up for reconsideration.“, says Karl Kopp, consultant for European affairs at PRO ASYL. The Geneva Refugee Convention was and still is a response to the failed refugee convention in Evian in 1938. The unwillingness of the participating states to grant protection to those persecuted by the Nazi regime, sealed the fate of many people. With the Geneva Refugee Convention the transition from an act of governmental mercy to an individual right to protection for refugees was made.
„The military intervention in Iraq is allegedly taking place in order to reinstall human rights. At the same time Blair wants to sacrifice integral achievements in the development of human rights, like the Geneva Refugee Convention and the European Convention for Human Rights, in order to get rid of those most affected by terror and violence.“, says Karl Kopp.
PRO ASYL appeals to the Federal chancellor to unequivocally reject the British proposal at the EU-summit. It should not become a project of the EU. Otherwise, the current process of unifying asylum rights would be destroyed. Europe would say goodbye to its human rights‘ traditions.
