PARLIAMENT SPEAKER TIGRAN TOROSIAN RECEIVES UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE

ARMENPRESS

ARMENPRESS
June 17

Parliament Speaker Tigran Torosian received today Bushra Halepota,
a representative of the UNHCR.

According to the parliament public relations department, the meeting
was centered on a draft Armenian law on Refugees and Asylum, which
the government has submitted to parliament’s consideration. It will
be put to parliament debates, after going through several parliament
committees, when the parliament convenes for autumn session.

Tigran Torosian said that he had studied the proposals of Mrs. Halepota
saying also that UNHCR experts will be invited to attend the discussion
of the bill by parliament committees.

Tigran Torosian said the problem of refugees emerged after Armenia
regained its independence when hundreds of thousands of Armenians
had to flee Azerbaijan.

He said little time is left before all problems of refugees will be
solved. He added that nevertheless this is a global problem needed
to be regulated by legislation.

Mrs. Halepota said the UNHCR helped to develop the bill and is
interested in its adoption so that Armenia, which ratified in
1993 the 1951 Convention on Refugees, has a new law complying with
internationally accepted standards.