Statement at the Regional Meeting on Refugees in The Great Lakes Region

"The already complex refugee situation in the region was thus gravely compounded by the phenomenon of "armed refugees." This has generated considerable confusion and misunderstanding within the international community with respect to the implementation and humanitarian and refugee protection principles on the one hand and the legitimate security concerns of the countries concerned, particularly the countries of origin and those of asylum on the other." - Dr. Salim, May 8, 1998