Kabul, April 29, IRNA -- The tripartite meeting of Iran, Afghanistan
and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was held here
on Wednesday under the chairmanship of the Afghan Deputy Minister
for Refugees and Repatriation Mohammad Naim Ghiacy.
During the meeting, the participants discussed possible
ways to coordinate repatriation of Afghan refugees from Iran, the
UNHCR role and a number of issues of concern.
Director General of the Interior Ministry's Bureau for the Alien
and Foreign Immigrants Affairs (BAFIA) Ahmad Hosseini headed
the Iranian delegation to the tripartite meeting.
The Iranian side stressed speedy repatriation of Afghan
refugees from the country particularly those who do not have
certification to live in Iran.
The governments of Afghanistan and Iran and UNHCR reaffirmed
their commitment to the voluntary character of repatriation of
Afghans from Iran, as laid out in the current Joint Program which
governs the return of Afghans.
The agreement covers Afghans registered in Iran by the
government in 2001 or 2003, all of whom can benefit from UNHCR
assistance to repatriate.
The parties noted the successful return of almost 700,000
Afghans from Iran since the start of the repatriation operation
in April 2002, including over 40,000 individuals from the beginning
of 2004.
The meeting focused on ways to increase the number of Afghans
choosing to repatriate.
The three sides agreed on increased transport capacity for
returning Afghans, a waiver by BAFIA provincial offices of fees
paid by departing refugees who cannot afford them, additional
visits to refugees and displaced persons in Iran by Afghan
officials and community leaders to share information on conditions
in home areas and the need to allocate land by the Afghanistan
government to returnees from Iran.
The three delegations also pledged their support for the
inclusion of Afghan refugees in Iran in the forthcoming Afghanistan
national elections.
Iran had announced earlier that Afghan refugees should return
to their home country by the end of the current Iranian year (March
20, 2005) and from next year all Afghan citizens should have legal
presence in the country.
Some 1,500 million Afghan refugees are currently in Iran,
500,000 of whom are predicted to leave the country by the end of
the current Iranian year.
