INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HUMANITARIAN LAW UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES 25th ROUND TABLE ON CURRENT PROBLEMS OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW “REFUGEES: A CONTINUING CHALLENGE” Contributions to International Refugee Law: Joint Activities of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees 1973 – 2000 A Collection of Selected Documents prepared by the IIHL on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention San Remo, 6 – 8 September 2001 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. International Institute of Humanitarian Law/ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: Special meetings of Experts and Working Groups on Refugee Problems Since 1973 Round Table on the Reuniting of Dispersed Families: Resolution San Remo, Italy, 28 – 30 June 1973…...……………………………………………...2 The Reuniting of Dispersed Families San Remo, Italy, 13 – 16 June 1974…..…………………………………………....…3 Round Table on Refugees in Orbit Florence, Italy, 4-6 June 1979……...….……………………………………………..6 Round Table on the Problems Arising from Large Numbers of Asylum Seekers San Remo, Italy, 22-25 June 1981……..…………………………………………….8 Round Table on Pre-Flow Aspects of the Refugee Phenomenon San Remo, Italy, 27-30 April 1982………...………………………………………...11 Working Group on Mass Expulsion San Remo, Italy, 16-18 April 1983...………………………………………………...14 Round Table on the Movements of People Florence, Italy, 14-18 June 1983……………………………………………………18 Seminar on Current Problems in International Humanitarian Law Florence, Italy, 20 – 22 August, 1985……………………………………………….22 Conclusions on Family Reunification Florence, Italy, 4 – 6 December, 1986…………………………………………..…24 Meeting of Experts on Reinforcement of International Cooperation for Solving Refugee Problems San Remo, Italy, 25 – 27 April, 1991..………………………………………………26 Meeting of Experts on Prevention San Remo, Italy, 18 – 20 June 1992…………………………………………………29 Conflict Prevention – The Humanitarian Perspective New York, United States, 15 – 16 April 1994……………………………………….37 Meeting of European Government Experts on Current Refugee Issues Zurich, Switzerland, 22 – 24 March 1996…………………………...……………...40 2 II. International Institute of Humanitarian Law/ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: Regional Meetings on Refugee Issues Round Table of Asian Experts on Current Problems in the International Protection of Refugees and Displaced Persons Manila, Philippines, 14 – 18 April 1980……………………………………………44 Round Table on Humanitarian Assistance to Indo-China Refugees and Displaced Persons San Remo, Italy, 28 – 30 May 1980…..……………………………………………..46 Asian Working Group on the International Protection of Refugees and Displaced Persons San Remo, Italy, 28 – 30 May 1980..………………………………………………..49 Seminar on the Rights of Asylum and the Rights of Refugees in Arab Countries San Remo, Italy, 16 – 19 January 1984……..………………………………………53 International Humanitarian Law in the Contemporary World: New Trends in Humanitarian Issues San Remo, Italy, 5 –7 July 1984…..………………………………………………...55 4th Seminar on International Humanitarian Law in the Contemporary World Moscow, Russia, 4 – 6 June 1987…………………………………………………...56 2nd Seminar of Arab Experts on the Asylum and Rights of Refugees Tunisia, 15 – 18 May 1989………………………………………………………….58 6th Seminar on International Humanitarian Law in the Contemporary World Warsaw, Poland, 20 – 22 June 1989………………………………………………..60 7th Seminar on International Humanitarian Law in the Contemporary World East Berlin, Germany, 6-7 June 1990 West Berlin, Germany, 8-9 June 1990………………………………………………64 8th Seminar for European Countries on Contemporary International Humanitarian Law and Current Human Rights Issues in Europe Bucharest, Romania, 27 – 30 June 1991……………………………………………69 3rd Seminar of Arab Experts on “Asylum and Refugee Law” Amman, Jordan, 2-4 November 1991……………………………………………….73 Cairo Declaration on the Protection of Refugees and Displaced Persons in the Arab World Cairo, Egypt, 16 – 19November 1992………………………………………………76 Central and Eastern Europe: The Challenge of Becoming Refugee Receiving Countries 3 Prague, Czech Republic, 6 – 8 April 1993…………………………………………..79 International Symposium on The Protection of Refugees Sofia, Bulgaria, 21 – 23 June 1994…………………………………………………82 13th European Dialogue on Current Humanitarian Issues: The Right to Return to One’s Own Country Bucharest, Romania, 17 – 19 June 1996……………………………………………84 III. International Institute of Humanitarian Law/ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: Excerpts from Conclusions and Recommendations of Round Tables and Congresses Reunion of Families San Remo, Italy, 6 – 9 September 1978…..…………………………………………87 Congress on International Solidarity and Humanitarian Actions San Remo, Italy, September 1980…………………………………………………...88 Round Table on the Protection of Refugees in Armed Conflicts and Internal Disturbances San Remo, Italy, 8 – 11 September 1982…………………………………………...100 9th Round Table on Current Problems of International Humanitarian Law: Physical Safety, the Activities of Refugees, and National Security San Remo, Italy, 7 – 10 September 1983…..………………………………………102 10th Round Table on Current Problems in International Humanitarian Law: The Treatment of Refugees, with Particular Reference to the Problem of Detention San Remo, Italy, 17 – 20 September 1984……..…………………………………..104 13th Round Table on Current Problems in International Humanitarian Law: Family Reunification San Remo, Italy, 6 – 10 September 1988……..……………………………………106 14th Round Table on Current Problems in International Humanitarian Law: Declaration on the Protection of Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Displaced Persons San Remo, Italy, 12 – 16 September 1989…………………………………..…..…108 15th Round Table on Current Problems in International Humanitarian Law: Refugee Day San Remo, Italy, 4 – 6 September 1990……..……………………………………..109 17th Round Table on Issues of International Humanitarian law San Remo, Italy, 2 – 4 September 1992……..……………………………………..111 4 22nd Round Table on Current Problems in International Humanitarian Law: Impact of Humanitarian Assistance and the Mass Media on the Evolution of Conflict Situations San Remo, Italy 3 – 6 September 1997…..………………………………………...121 Congress on Humanitarian Action and State Sovereignty San Remo, 31 August – 2 September 2000..……………………………………….128 5 International Institute of Humanitarian Law/ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: Special meetings of Experts and Working Groups on Refugee Problems Since 1973 6 Round Table on the Reuniting of Dispersed Families: Resolution San Remo, Italy, 28 – 30 June 1973 The Round Table on the “REUNITING OF DISPERSED FAMILIES”, organised at San Remo by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law from 28 to 30 June, 1973, Referring to the basic principles of human rights and of international humanitarian law, Recalling the resolutions adopted by the United Nations and International Conferences of the Red Cross in the field of the respect for and the effective application of basic human rights and of rules of humanitarian law, Recalling the rules of existing international instruments concerning the protection of the human person in all circumstances, Considering that those rules have retained their full value in spite of obstacles preventing their full application, Recognising the significance of the heartening results obtained in the field of the reuniting of families in several countries, Recognising the significance of the efforts undertaken by international and national institutions in the field of the reuniting of families, in particular by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, by the International Committee of the Red Cross and National Red Cross Societies, and by the International Union for Child Welfare, Considering that the teaching of knowledge of human rights and of international humanitarian law should form an integral part of education at all levels of the population as only a full and clear understanding of those rights can widen the scope of the possibilities of their employment and effective application, NOTES that, in accordance with article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State”; that, in accordance with principle 8 of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, “the child shall in all circumstances be among the first to receive protection and relief”; that, as a result of armed conflicts, disturbances and other critical situations occurring in different parts of the world, large numbers of families are dispersed and the reuniting of their members is hindered by major obstacles, and that no one should remain indifferent to the ensuing suffering; and, that it is indispensable that existing humanitarian rules be strengthened and developed in order to ensure more effective protection by specifying: Categories of protected persons in their widest possible sense, Humanitarian and social criteria by which it might be possible to establish ways and means for the reuniting of families. REQUESTS Governments to take all possible measures for facilitating the reuniting of families and for granting intergovernmental, non-governmental and voluntary international organisations, as well as their appropriate national organisations, all possible assistance in their efforts to promote the reuniting of families. SUGGESTS that a conference of experts contribute towards the drafting of effective solutions to be brought to the problems of the reuniting of dispersed families.