biteme
January 7th, 2011, 01:33 PM
U.N. refugee agency warns on Greek anti-migrant fence
(Reuters) - The U.N. refugee agency voiced concern on Friday that Greece's proposed 12.5 km-long fence at its border with Turkey will shut out asylum-seekers fleeing violence and abuse in their troubled homelands.
The fence could lead illegal migrants, including people in need of international protection, to resort to even riskier routes with the help of unscrupulous human traffickers, it said.
Greece said on Monday it planned a fence at its border with Turkey in the Evros region to prevent a wave of immigrants flowing into the debt-choked country. Nine out of 10 illegal immigrants use Greece as their springboard into the European Union.
"While every state has the right to control its borders, it is clear that among the many people crossing Turkey toward the European Union, there are a significant number who are fleeing violence and persecution," Melissa Fleming, spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, told a news briefing.
(Reuters) - The U.N. refugee agency voiced concern on Friday that Greece's proposed 12.5 km-long fence at its border with Turkey will shut out asylum-seekers fleeing violence and abuse in their troubled homelands.
The fence could lead illegal migrants, including people in need of international protection, to resort to even riskier routes with the help of unscrupulous human traffickers, it said.
Greece said on Monday it planned a fence at its border with Turkey in the Evros region to prevent a wave of immigrants flowing into the debt-choked country. Nine out of 10 illegal immigrants use Greece as their springboard into the European Union.
"While every state has the right to control its borders, it is clear that among the many people crossing Turkey toward the European Union, there are a significant number who are fleeing violence and persecution," Melissa Fleming, spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, told a news briefing.