UN urges the West to accept refugees

The United Nations launched the first World Refugee Day yesterday, complaining that donor fatigue in the West was ruining the chances of millions of refugees gaining asylum.

"In the European Union countries there is a tendency, the less the better," said the UN high commissioner for refugees, Ruud Lubbers.

"There is a tendency in rich countries for such an attitude. But one should not complain in the rich countries about 'all those refugees' if one has not the generosity to fund projects to find solutions," he said on the day named to encourage "respect" for the world's displaced millions.

On Tuesday, Kofi Annan, the UN secretary general, scolded Europeans for not meeting their responsibilities to protect refugees and treating them as a threat rather than a potential contributor to a productive and diverse society. The UNHCR's $1.3bn (£900m) budget of 1995 has been reduced by falling government contributions to $810m this year, well below what is required, he said. Theagency has had to cut back on operations in Africa, central Asia and Latin America.

"Perhaps I could remind you of the famous cartoon depicting Einstein with a bundle of clothes on his back," Mr Annan said. "The caption read, 'A bundle of clothes may not be all a refugee brings with him'."