UN refugee boss to hold talks with Rice on Iraqis

GENEVA, Feb 13 (Reuters) The top UN refugee official will hold talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice this week to seek more support for 1.8 million Iraqis who have fled to Syria and Jordan, his spokesman said today.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres, who visited the two countries last week and warned of a humanitarian disaster in the region, will meet Rice and other senior officials in Washington tomorrow.

''We will continue to try to enlist the support of the entire international community in addressing that disaster. One of the reasons he is in the US now is to discuss getting more humanitarian assistance not just for UNHCR's programmes, but also for Syria, Jordan and for the Iraqis themselves,'' UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond told a news briefing in Geneva.

The UNHCR estimates that up to 2 million Iraqis have moved to neighbouring countries, mainly Syria and Jordan, before and since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, while 1.7 million Iraqis are internally displaced.

Syria and Jordan had ''borne an enormous burden'' by hosting the exodus which UNHCR says has stretched their social services.

Guterres said on Friday that Syria had assured the UNHCR it would continue to host 1 million Iraqi refugees despite new rules requiring them to apply quickly for residency.

Despite the assurances, ''many Iraqis remain fearful of being deported under the newly reinforced Syrian immigration rules'', Redmond said today.

Some 5,000 Iraqis lined up at UNHCR offices in Damascus on Sunday and Monday to register, he said. ''They are running out of resources now, they need help, so they're coming for registration. People are getting more and more desperate.'' The State Department said last week it had created a task force to ensure the United States was doing ''its share'' to take in Iraqi refugees following criticism in Congress that it accepted only 202 last year.

Redmond, asked whether Guterres would urge the United States to take in more Iraqis, said: ''The issue of resettlement will undoubtedly arise in his discussions with the United States. We're also seeking resettlement opportunities elsewhere.'' The United States has told UNHCR it has a total of 70,000 resettlement places available for 2007, he said. ''They have also indicated they're looking at the possibility of increasing the number from Iraq who would be part of that 70,000,'' he said.

Refugees given priority for ''third country resettlement'' are usually unable to stay in the region, need extensive medical care, or are torture victims or female heads of households.

UNHCR has said that it intends to resettle up to 20,000 Iraqis this year to various countries outside the region.

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