UN Refugee Arm And Burma Strike Deal To Build Conditions For Possible Returns

The United Nations refugee agency has reached an agreement with Burmess Government to begin measures to create the necessary conditions in the country's east to allow the large-scale return of refugees from neighbouring Thailand.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees ( http://www.unhcr.ch/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home UNHCR) spokesman Ron Redmond told reporters today at the body's headquarters in Geneva that up to 130,000 people are waiting in Thai refugee camps to return to Burma. An estimated 600,000 others are internally displaced within Burma.

But Mr. Redmond said the situation along the Burma-Thailand border is not yet conducive to refugee returns pending an "acceptable settlement" emerging from ongoing talks between the Government and rebels.

Under the agreement announced today, the agency will start providing assistance in health, education and community services, as well as local infrastructure. Initially the agency will operate from its office in the Burma capital Rangoon and use locally active non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

"Years of conflict and insurgency have had a serious impact on basic facilities and infrastructure in the area and communities are not in a position to absorb possible large numbers of returnees without international assistance," Mr. Redmond said.