§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will ask the Governments of Thailand, India and Bangladesh not to return Burmese citizens or residents to Burma, but to treat them as refugees entitled to protection. [HL2876]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanWe recognise the specific difficulties faced by Burmese refugees. Although Thailand, India and Bangladesh are not signatories of the 1951 Refugee Convention, they work closely with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to provide appropriate protection to refugees and to ensure their non-refoulement. We fully support the work of UNHCR and the Governments of Thailand, India and Bangladesh in protecting Burmese refugees.