UN refugee chief discusses Afghan repatriation with key regional players

The head of the United Nations refugee agency has begun a nine-day three-nation tour focusing on the voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees from Iran and Pakistan as well as their reintegration and their longer-term prospects in the region.

High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Ruud Lubbers arrived in Tehran last night for two full days of talks with senior Iranian officials, including the ministers of the interior, foreign affairs, and labour and social affairs. He will also meet with donors, and UNHCR's partners in ongoing repatriations to Afghanistan and Iraq.

On Thursday Mr. Lubbers will go to Kandahar in Afghanistan to meet with the local authorities and visit a camp for internally displaced Afghans. The next day he is scheduled to hold discussions with President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, the Afghan capital, where he will also meet with the ministers of finance, foreign affairs, interior, refugees and repatriation, and rural reconstruction and development.

On Sunday, he will leave for Pakistan to meet with the Prime Minister and senior ministers. The mission will end on Tuesday.