DATE=3/1/2000 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=BRITAIN/AFGHAN REFUGEES (L)(CQ) NUMBER=2-259733 BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN DATELINE=LONDON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: Britain's home secretary, Jack Straw, has decided to grant refugee status to only eight of the 170 Afghan nationals who arrived in London last month aboard a hijacked Afghan airliner. He has rejected 27 cases on the grounds there is no well-founded fear of persecution. Correspondent Laurie Kassman reports that 14 people aboard the airliner are facing criminal charges related to the hijacking. TEXT: In all, 44 passengers had requested political asylum in Britain, along with 33 dependents. So far, only eight have been granted refugee status. In a written statement to Parliament, Home Secretary Jack Straw indicates the asylum request in these cases was already begun before the hijacking and it was, as he put it, a matter of chance for them to be on a plane that was hijacked. Mr. Straw says those who are not granted asylum can return to Afghanistan, but he recognizes the current situation there might make that option difficult. So, he says Britain is exploring the possibility of relocating them in a third country. Another eight cases are still under review pending more information. Mr Straw has postponed judgment on six other cases involving relatives of the 14 people arrested in connection with the hijacking. He says a premature ruling on asylum could prejudice the trials. The British official had warned at the time of the hijacking that Britain should not be considered an easy target for asylum seekers. He said he would personally handle the Afghan asylum requests to make that message clear. /// Rest Opt For Short CR /// Gunmen seized the Afghan airliner shortly after take- off from Kabul February 6th on a routine domestic flight. It arrived in London after stops in Central Asia and Moscow. The five-day ordeal finally ended after marathon negotiations between British police and the hijackers. During the negotiations, the hijackers made no political demands. But, when the hijacking was over, nearly half those on board said they wanted to stay in Britain. Then 73 passengers decided to return to Afghanistan and left for home on February 14th. Two more now say they also want to go home. The four crewmembers will fly the aircraft back to Afghanistan shortly. Mr Straw says the hijacking has revealed a serious weakness in the way the international community deals with refugees, terrorism and human rights. He says Britain will raise the concerns with the U-N High Commission for Refugees. (SIGNED) NEB/LK/JP 01-Mar-2000 14:59 PM EDT (01-Mar-2000 1959 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
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