provides foranequitable sharing oftheburdenofresettlement arising from rescue. TheRASROschemeisexpected tocomeintooperation inMay1985and already morethan2,500placeshavebeenpledged bysome14subscribing countries. 35.Duringthereporting period, theOfficeupdated anddistributed toall shipmasters abookletentitled ·Guidelines forDisembarkation ofRefugees·'which contains detailed information regarding disembarkation procedures. TheOfficealso continued aschemeforthereimbursement ofexpenses incurred byshipmasters for thecareandmaintenance ofrescued asylum-seekers onboardandiscurrently looking intothepossibility ofimproving thisschemefurther. Atitsthirty-fifth session, theExecutive Committee welcomed actions takenbyUNHCRtodrawattention tothecontinuing needtore~cueasylum-seekers indistress atseaandexpressed thehopethattheseactions wouldreceive thewidestpossible support of Governments. W 36.TheOfficehasalsomaintained contact withtheInternational Maritime Organization (IMO)withregardtotherescueofasylum-seekers indistress atsea andthequestion ofpiracy. TheHighCommissioner greatly welcomes therecent designation byIMOofanexperttostudythegeneral problem ofpiracyin South-East Asianwaters. 5.Detention 37.Detention ofrefugees andasylum-seekers remained amajorproblem inthearea ofin~ernational protection duringtheperiodunderreview. Itisofcoursea basicprinciple ofhumanrightsthQtapersonshouldnotbeSUbject tounjustified measures ofdetention orimprisonment. !!ISuchmeasures whentakeninrespect of refugees maybeatvariance witharticle 31ofthe1951UnitedNations Refugee Convention which provid~s fornon-penalization ofrefugees merelyonthegroundof theirillegal entryorpresence andwhichcallsuponcontracting Statesnotto applytothemovements ofsuchrefugees restrictions otherthanthosewhichare necessary. 38.Duringtherep(,rting period, thousands ofrefugees inallareasoftheworld foundthemselves indetention fornoreasonotherthanthatofillegal entryorof havingoverstayed thevalidity oftheirentryvisa,without regardtothe circumstance thatsuchirregular entryorpresence wasdueexclusively totheneed tofindrefugefrompersecution ortoa~oidthedangers resulting fromcivil strife. Whileitmaybeunavoidable incertain casestodetain individ~al asylum-seekers duringaninitial periodafterentry,inordertoestablish their identity'and thebonafidecharacter oftheirasylumclaim,theindeterminate deprivation ofliberty beyondsuchaninitial periodisunjustifiable, exceptfor serious reasonsofnational security orpUblicorder,acriminal record, orthe likelihood thattheasylum-seeker mayabscond beforehisclaimtorefugeestatus . -9-40.Amajorproblem whichUNHCRencountered inanumberofcountries duringthe reporting periodwaslackofaccesstoasylum-seekers indetention, whointhe main,werenotinformed ofUNHCRavailability toassistthem.Inmanycountries, however, UNHCRwasregularly apprised ofthedetention ofpersons claiming tobe refugees andwasgivenaccesstosuchpersons.canbeadjudicated. UNHCRtherefore soughttostresstheimportance ofasylum countries refraining fromapplying measures ofdetention topersons ofitsconcern, saveasanexceptional andtemporary measure. Thetreatment ofrefugees with particular reference totheproblem ofdetention wasthesUbject ofa,Round Table discussion heldinSanRemo,Italy,inseptember 1984,undertheauspices ofthe International Institute ofHumanitarian Law.TheRoundTableadopted anumberof important conclusions onthesubject fortheconsideration ofGovernments. 39.Duringthereporting periodsomecountries adopted ormaintained ablanket detention policyunderwhichall"illegal" or"excludable" entrants were Iautomatically detained eveniftheiridentity andthebonaftdecharacter oftheir ,asylumclaimhadbeenestablished. Afewcountries keptasylum-seekers in detention aspartofaseriesofmeasures aimedatdeterring furtherarrivals. A numberofrefugees, whosestatusassuchwasnotinquestion, weredetained insome countries forirregular entryand/orinconnection withintended measures of expulsion ordeportation toathirdoountry, wheretheyweresupposed tohavefound protection. Insomeofthes~cases,however, expUlsion measures couldnotbe implemented because theso-called "countr.ies offirstasylum" werenotwilling to readmit suchrefugees. Sincetheycouldnotbereturned totheircountry of origin, whereitwasrecognized theyhadreasontofearpersecution, theyhadto facetheprospect ofbeingkeptindetention foranindeterminate period. Inone country, refugees inthissituation wentonhungerstriketocallattention to
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a report on the activities of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) during a specific period, focusing on the protection of refugees and asylum-seekers. The content discusses various issues related to the treatment of refugees, including detention, asylum procedures, and humanitarian assistance. The text also mentions the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Institute of Humanitarian Law.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, International relations