The UN refugee agency plans to shut several new camps in Pakistan tribal areas for security reasons, the Agency chief said here on Monday.

"We think it is better for security reasons to close down these camps," the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) chief Ruud Lubbers told a news conference here after holding talks with Pakistani President Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali.

"I explained that I will respond to the concern of the (Pakistani) authorities here in relations to a number of camps in the so-called tribal zones," the UNHCR chief said.

Ruud Lubbers did not say how many camps would be closed and where these camps are located.

He said the camps to be closed are new because they contain people who came here recently.

"This we will do by September 1, informing the people and making possible for them to return with additional food. If they leave they can take more food with them and we will look into difficult cases if there are," he said

He said if some Afghans can not go back to their country at this stage, then the UNHCR will find the solution.

Ruud Lubbers said they are convinced to be more assertive and clear on the need to end certain camps particularly in the border areas like Chaman, because these are not good for the people of this area, Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is too near areas where people can be seduced to participate in negative activities, he added.

He said he discussed with Pakistani officials as to how the UNHCR will fulfill its promise of substantial repatriation. More than 2 million Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan since the fall of Taliban government, said the UNHCR chief, adding another half million refugees are expected to go back this year.

Ruud Lubbers said he discussed with Pakistani officials the upcoming elections in Afghanistan with particular reference to participation of Afghan refugees in the process.

"I make it clear that we are very positive about the elections that will give fundamental reasons the right of Afghans to participate. It is also good for relations emotionally between Pakistan and Afghanistan," he said.

He said a total of 3 million refugees have been returned since the Karzai government took over in Afghanistan, including 2.1 million from Pakistan. He hoped that most of the refugees will be returned to their country by 2006 when the tri-partite agreement on voluntary repatriation expires.

Source: Xinhua