Ministeriet for Flygtninge
Indvandrere og Integration

København, den 29. September 2004

Meeting with the Iraqi Minister for Migration

The Iraqi Minister of Migration and Displacement H: E. Sorya Y. Isho and the Danish Minister for Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs and Minister for Development Cooperation Mr. Bertel Haarder have on a meeting on 28. September 2004 discussed various topic of common interest.

The parties agreed to explore the possibility of Denmark supporting capacity building of the Iraqi system for handling returning Iraqi refugees and internally displaced Iraqis.

It was also agreed that Denmark and Iraq should seek to develop support schemes for local communities receiving returning Iraqis from Denmark, in order to facilitate the return of Iraqi citizens form Denmark. The support could be channeled through the Interim Iraqi Government.

H.E. Sorya Y. Isho recognize in principle the right for Denmark on a legal point of view to return rejected Iraqi asylum seekers. However, the parties agreed that Denmark due to the present situation in Iraq should not return any rejected asylum seekers by force for the time being but make priority to facilitate return on a voluntarily basis. In this respect H:E. Soyra Y. Isho fully support the considerations made by the Danish Government to make a new offer of financial support to the group of rejected asylum seeks still remaining in Denmark.

Mr. Bertel Haarder promised to look into the possibility of financing an Iraq appointed liaison officer stationed in Denmark. The liaison officer shall deal with issues of relevance to Iraqi citizens staying in Denmark, taking care of their issues and promoting future human relations between Iraq and Denmark at all levels. Among other duties the liaison officer would be able to cooperate with Danish authorities in order to identify Iraqi citizens and prepare their return to Iraq voluntarily, or at a later stage as foreseen in the previous indent.

During her visit to Denmark H.E. Sorya Y. Isho also met with representatives for Iraqi groups and associations in Denmark as well as Danish Red Cross, Danish Institute for Human Rights, Danish Refugee council, care 4 you Association the Mesopotamian advisory Team. At the meeting a number of information and counseling initiatives already going on in Denmark for sustainable and voluntary repatriation were presented – most of which are supported by the Danish Government. During the meeting there were presentations of several other ideas and initiatives, including a new project proposal aiming to support the reintegration of repatriating asylum seekers and refugees in Iraq via counseling, guidance and support in solving practical issues like housing, work, education and the like. The project, presented by Care 4 you Association the Mesopotamian advisory Team should also contribute to the strengthening of democratic and administrative resources.