GENEVA / SYRIAN REFUGEES IN EUROPE

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) called on European countries to admit more Syrian refugees fleeing the war in their country. CH UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:20
• Production Date: 11 July 2014
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: PEACE AND SECURITY; REFUGEES; DISPLACED PERSONS; DISASTER PREVENTION; DISASTER PREPAREDNESS; DISASTER RELIEF; HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
• Geographic Subject: SYRIA; EUROPE
• MAMS Id: 1135981

Description

STORY: GENEVA / SYRIAN REFUGEES IN EUROPE
TRT: 2.20
SOURCE: CH UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /NATS
DATELINE: 11 JULY 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

1. External Shot, Palais des Nations, Geneva
2. Wide Shot, press room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, spokeswoman of the UNHCR:
“Relative to the 2.9 million refugees in countries immediately surrounding Syria, these numbers are small. In fact, they’re minuscule. They represent only four percent of Syrian refugees. Just to put it into perspective, Europe has a population of 670 million people. So contrast that to Lebanon, which has a population of 4.4 million people and has received 1.1 million refugees. That means that Lebanon has received ten times as many refugees as all of Europe.”
4. Cutaway, journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, spokeswoman of the UNHCR:
"Yes, we are seeing disturbing rhetoric that is populist. We’re seeing in some tabloids and newspapers awful and distorted headlines claiming that floods of Syrians are about to arrive in their country when actually, again, when you look at these numbers, it really is a small, small percentage of the Syrian needs and the refugees who are actually leaving the country. "
6. Cutaway, journalists
7.. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, spokeswoman of the UNHCR:
“We’re very disturbed by the news of this case, of a Syrian who arrived at the borders of Switzerland, who was reportedly seven months pregnant and in a very concerning condition. We are encouraged that there’s investigation into this case but I think that as highlighted in the report, we do call on countries to welcome Syrians at their borders, to look into their circumstances inside their territory and in a case where somebody is in a critical medical state, to offer them immediate treatment. “
6. Cutaway, journalists

Storyline

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) called on European countries to admit more Syrian refugees fleeing the war in their country.

In a report issued today (11 July), UNHCR says only four percent of the Syrian refugees have sought refuge in Europe.

Speaking at a news conference in Geneva, UNHCR spokeswoman, Melissa Fleming described that number as “minuscule” compared with the 2.9 million refugees in Syria's neighbouring countries.

Europe, she pointed out has a population of 670 million people, whereas Lebanon, with a population of 4.4 million people has received 1.1. million refugees.

Flemming said that means Lebanon has received ten times as many refugees as all of Europe.

UNHCR also noted “disturbing, populist rhetoric in some tabloids and newspapers” in Europe.

Asked to comment on reports that a Syrian mother's baby was still-born at an Italian hospital after being transported from Switzerland, Fleming said UNHCR was concerned about the news.

UNHCR called on countries to welcome Syrians at their borders, to look into their circumstances inside their territory and in a case in which someone was in a critical medical state to offer them immediate treatment.