Asylum plan dropped

A CONTROVERSIAL proposal to set up camps in Africa and other non-EU countries for asylum seekers was withdrawn from the agenda at the EU summit in Greece last night amid fears it could be illegal.

The British government, with backing from Denmark, suggested setting up camps in Kenya and other countries for asylum seekers trying to enter Europe.

But the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Amnesty International and Sweden warned this could be illegal and against the Geneva Convention governing the treatment of refugees.

The UNHCR said that if such camps were established they would have to be within EU territory. According to the Geneva Convention the country into which the asylum seeker arrives must deal with his application.

Ireland was open to the idea on a pilot basis provided it had UNHCR sanction.

With an estimated three million illegal refugees in the 15 EU member states the Union is working on a comprehensive policy to deal with the problem.

It is investigating plans to set up special border patrols to secure the borders of the newly enlarged Union.