GENEVA / EU TURKEY AGREEMENT

With just days to go before the EU-Turkey agreement on refugees and migrants is due to come into effect, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), is calling on all parties to the deal to ensure that safeguards are in place before any returns begin. UNTV CH

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:01
• Production Date: 1 April 2016
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: MELISSA FLEMING
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: REFUGEES
• Geographic Subject: EUROPE; TURKEY
• MAMS Id: 1594235
• Parent Id: 1594235
• Alternate Title: unifeed160401b

Description

STORY: GENEVA / EU TURKEY AGREEMENT
TRT: 02:01
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 1 APRIL 2016 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

RECENT-

1. Exterior, Palais des Nations

1 APRIL 2016 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2. Wide shot, press briefing room

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Spokesperson, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR):
“Today we’re urging the parties to the recent EU and Turkey agreement on refugees and migrants to ensure that all safeguards are in place before any returns begin. This is in light of continued serious gaps in both countries.”
4. Med shot, speakers at top table
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Spokesperson, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR):
“We do not object to returns of people without protection needs and who have not asked for asylum, provided, and only provided, that human rights are adhered to.”
6. Wide shot, press briefing room
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Spokesperson, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR):
“Across Greece, which has, as you know, been compelled to host people because of the sudden closure of borders, numerous aspects of the systems for receiving and dealing with people who may be in need of international protection are still either not working or are absent. Just to note, there are currently 51,000 refugees and migrants in the country, 5000 on the islands and 46,000 on the mainland.”
8. Close up, briefing papers
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Spokesperson, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR):
“Obviously safeguards need to be put in place before this deal could be implemented in a way that we believe would be legal and safe for people.”
10. Wide shot, press room
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Spokesperson, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR):
“UNHCR has been very clear about its position on the EU and Turkey deal, again. And we’re going to be sending out our legal considerations paper, which is about nine pages long, which explains very clearly our position about which safeguards, guarantees, need to be put in place, both in Greece and in Turkey, in order for this deal to be acceptable.”
12. Wide shot, press briefing room

Storyline

With just days to go before the EU-Turkey agreement on refugees and migrants is due to come into effect, the UN Refugee Agency is calling on all parties to the deal to ensure that safeguards are in place before any returns begin.

From 4 April, migrants arriving illegally in Greece are expected to be sent back to Turkey if they do not apply for asylum or if their claim is rejected.As part of the agreement, Turkey will receive aid and political concessions.

Melissa Fleming, the spokesperson for UNHCR, said that serious gaps have been identified in provisions for dealing with refugees and migrants in both Turkey and Greece. UNHCR said that it does not object to returns of people without protection needs and who have not asked for asylum, as long as human rights are adhered to.

The agency has prepared a document outlining its legal considerations concerning the EU-Turkey agreement and the safeguards and guarantees that need to be put in place, both in Greece and in Turkey, in order for the deal to be acceptable to them.

Meanwhile, the agency said that conditions at reception centres for refugees and migrants in Greece have been deteriorating. At the Moria facility on Lesvos, which has been used to detain people pending a decision on deportation since 20th March, there are now some 2,300 people there, in spite of the centre having a capacity of 2,000. UNHCR said that people are sleeping in the open and food supply is insufficient. Anxiety and frustration is widespread. In addition, many families have become separated, with family members now scattered across Greece.

On Samos, at the Vathy facility, reception conditions have also been worsening. UNHCR says that sanitation is poor, there is little help available for people with special needs and food distributions are chaotic.

There are currently up to 1,700 people staying at the Vial facility on Chios, which has a maximum capacity of 1,100. UNHCR says that it is very worried about the situation there, where last night rioting left three people injured.