Geneva, Dec. 13 (EFE).- The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) expressed concern about the measures announced today by the UK to combat illegal immigration coming primarily through the English Channel, assuring it represents a “step back in tradition” humanity”.

“The announced proposals to detain and then return asylum seekers to their home countries or to transfer them to a third country mean rejecting the asylum system for those who arrive on an irregular basis,” Assistant High Commissioner Gillian Triggs said in a statement.

This, the UNHCR notes added, could lead to the return of refugees to their countries of origin, violating international conventions for this group, which have been in effect since 1951.

Restricting access to asylum applications to those arriving via routes deemed “safe and legal”, according to the UNHCR, goes against the basic principles of international solidarity and responsibility of the 1951 convention.

The United Nations agency also expressed skepticism about the agreement announced by the UK Government with Albania, which seeks to reduce the illegal entry of Albanian immigrants into UK territory, given their origin from “safe and prosperous” countries.

“UNHCR is not opposed to certain countries being designated as safe places of origin (…) but such designation cannot lead to the systematic rejection of asylum claims on the basis of origin,” the organization’s statement said.

The latter, however, said it “shares the UK’s concern about illegal arrivals through the English Channel”, which has doubled in the last two years, with migrants of Albanian origin being the main users of this route. EFE

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