M'SIA TO CONTINUE COOPERATION WITH UNHCR TO SOLVE REFUGEE ISSUES

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will continue to cooperate with the
United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees (UNHCR) in addressing
international refugee issues although Malaysia is not a state party to the 1951
Convention and its Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, said a Foreign
Ministry statement here Tuesday.

It said the cooperation, on humanitarian grounds, was among the highlights of
the first mee ting between Foreign Minister Anifah Aman and Paul Alan Vernon,
representative of UNHCR to Malaysia, in Putrajaya Tuesday.

During the meeting, both Anifah and Vernon also noted the excellent
cooperation between the Malaysian government and UNHCR in facilitating
solutions related to the problem of international refugees.

The statement said the meeting provided the opportunity for both sides to
discuss a range of issues pertaining to refugees and asylum seekers at the
international level.

Vernon, who is an American, is the 12th representative of UNHCR to Malaysia. He
started his career with the UNHCR in 1987 and had worked at the UNHCR
representative office in Terengganu, from 1987 to 1991.
-- BERNAMA