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GENEVA /SYRIA UPDATE
STORY: GENEVA /SYRIA UPDATE
TRT: 2.08
SOURCE: CH UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 24 MAY 2013, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE
FILE – RECENT, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, Palais des Nations
24MAY 2013, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
2. Wide shot, press room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Spokesperson for UNHCR:
4. "While these governments assure us that their borders will remain open, UNHCR is concerned about reports that many Syrians trying to flee may be backed up at the border areas, and in places that are extremely dangerous. We're also disturbed by accounts that there may be restrictions imposed upon those wishing to leave. We call on parties to protect civilians and to allow state passage for those wishing to flee."
5. Wide shot, press room
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Spokesperson for UNHCR:
"We do, of course, fully acknowledge the legitimate security concerns of neighbouring countries, but it essential that civilians fleeing violence have access to safety under all circumstances and in accordance with international law."
7. Med shot, journalist
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Spokesperson for UNHCR:
"Also, message to countries beyond the ones who have been taking in all of these refugees, please also keep your borders open and receive Syrian refugees who want to travel further afield, and to safety and other countries. "
9. Med shot, journalist
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Spokesperson for UNHCR:
"It is the seventh day where we've seen virtually no arrivals in the Za'atri refugee camp in Jordan. I think we had about seven people who crossed the border yesterday. That said, the Jordanian government assures us that the borders are open."
11. Close up, journalist typing
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Spokesperson for UNHCR:
"Fighting is raging, We hear reports of fields being burnt, food security related to that, but even not related to that, it's awful. So we do expect and we are preparing for that, so as soon as things change and security allows these people to cross into Jordan, we may have a significant influx."
13. Med shot, table of journalists
The United Nations refugee agency UNHCR today (24 May) called on countries around Syria to keep their borders open for refugees while stressing that "urgent and robust" international support for host countries and aid organizations was vital.
The flow of refugees crossing from Syria into Jordan has all but stopped in the last six days amid heavy fighting in the area and claims that Jordanian border guards are preventing Syrians from entering.
While commending the governments of neighbouring countries for hosting so many people, UNHCR spokesperson Melissa Fleming said the Agency was concerned about reports that many Syrians trying to flee might be stuck at the border in extremely dangerous areas.
Fleming told journalists in Geneva: "we are disturbed by accounts indicating there may be restrictions imposed on those wishing to leave Syria."
But she repeated assurances from the Jordanian government that the borders were open: "it is the seventh day where we've seen virtually no arrivals in the Za'atri refugee camp in Jordan. I think we had about seven people who crossed the border yesterday. That said, the Jordanian government assures us that the borders are open."
Amid worsening violence inside Syria, UNHCR expects the number of refugees – currently more than 1.5 million – to continue climbing steeply and put more pressure on host countries such as Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq.
Fleming also UNHCR urged all countries, not just those bordering Syria, to keep their borders open to offer protection to Syrian refugees.
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