Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and Stateless Persons: Draft Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. Style Committee. United Kingdom: Amendment to Article 1

A/CONF.2/AC.1/R.6

Substitute the following for the present Section A:

A.1. For the purposes of the present Convention the term "refugee" shall, subject to the provisions of Article X, apply to any person who is outside the country of his nationality, or if he has no nationality, the country of his former habitual residence, and who:

(1) Has been considered a refugee under the Arrangements of 12 May 1926 and 30 June 1928 or under the Conventions of 28 October 1933 and 10 February 1938, the Protocol of 14 September 1939 or the Constitution of the International Refugee Organisation;

(2) As a result of events occurring before 1 January 1951 is unable or, owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of the country of his nationality, or, if he has no nationality is unable, or owing to such fear is unwilling to return to the country of his former habitual residence.

2. Decisions as to eligibility taken by the International Refugee Organisation during the period of its activities shall not prevent the status of refugees being granted to persons who fulfil the conditions of paragraph 1(2) of Section A of this article.

3. In the case of a person who has more than one nationality the term "country of his nationality" shall mean any of the countries of which he is a national, etc. etc. as in the present last paragraph of Article A.

Amendment to Section C of Article 1 (as it appears in paper A/CONF.2/L 1.Add 10). In the first paragraph omit the word "other" and insert after "United Nations" the words "other than the High Commissioner for Refugees".

Proposed new article:

Article X. For the purposes of this Convention the words "as a result of events" in Article 1, Section A, shall mean either "as a result of events in Europe" or "as a result of events in Europe and other continents" and each Contracting State shall make a declaration at the time of signature, accession or ratification signifying which of these meanings it adopts for the purpose of its obligations under this Convention.