Jordan Times
Friday, November 21, 2008
Bashir urges international
community to support countries hosting Iraqis
AMMAN (JT) - Foreign Minister Salah Bashir on Thursday urged the international
community to help countries hosting Iraqis shoulder increased economic and
social burdens.
Bashir made the remarks during the third meeting of host countries that was held
in Amman yesterday, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
While reiterating that the solution to the issue is the Iraqis’ voluntary return
to their homeland, Bashir expressed Jordan’s continued commitment to assisting
those Iraqis living in the Kingdom.
Last year, the government decided to allow Iraqi children to attend public
schools without the need to have a residency permit.
It has taken other measures such as access to public healthcare, additional
education programmes, exempted visa penalties and a new visa system.
Stressing that all other solutions will only be partial, Bashir welcomed
improved security conditions and positive developments witnessed in Iraq on the
political level, saying this would enhance the country’s stability and open the
door for Iraqis to go home voluntarily.
Despite improved security conditions in the neighbouring country, only small
numbers of Iraqis are returning home, Bashir said, highlighting the security,
social and economic pressures their presence places on the Kingdom’s
infrastructure, services and natural resources.
According to the UN Refugee Agency, since the beginning of the US-led invasion
of Iraq in 2003, some half-a-million Iraqis sought refuge in Jordan.
Representatives from Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan, which are all host
countries, as well as observers from Iran and Turkey, took part the one-day
conference.
Representatives from the Arab League, the UN and the International Committee of
the Red Cross also attended the meeting.
In a statement to the press following the event, Iraqi Ambassador in Amman Saad
Hayyani said the meeting is held every six months to acquaint host countries and
concerned international organisations with the procedures the Iraqi government
is taking to facilitate the return of Iraqis to their homeland, Petra reported.
The UNHCR estimates the number of displaced Iraqis to be 4.4 million after the
US invasion. Some 2.2 million fled to neighbouring countries like Jordan, Syria
and Egypt, while the remaining 2.2 million were internally displaced.