Finland to deport rejected Afghan migrants: FM

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Finnish foreign minister, who arrived in Kabul on Wednesday, said Afghan refugees whose asylum in Finland had been rejected would be deported to their own country.

Timo Soini told reporters at Finland Embassy in Kabul that he had met with President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah), Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani, National Security Advisor (NSA) Hanif Atmar and discussed with them his country’s support for improvement in security situation and refugee affairs in Afghanistan.

He said currently around 6,000 Afghans had sought asylum in Finland and those Afghans whose asylum had been rejected would be deported back to Afghanistan based on a joint statement with the Afghan government.

Soini said some people deceived by smugglers sold their properties and belongings and traveled to Finland for seeking asylum but were rejected.

He said his country was ready to donate 30 million Euros annually to Afghanistan to help the Afghans improve their security and economic situation.

“Helping Afghans inside their country is our priority,” he said, adding his country was also working with the Afghan government to neutralize threats posed by Islamic State (IS) or Daesh militants.

About the Afghan peace process, the Finnish politician said that military force rarely worked in bringing about stability in a country while finding a political solution in Afghanistan would be more effective and Finland supported that.

Soini stressed importance of international support for stability in Afghanistan and said he was optimistic about the future of Afghans who suffered for decades.

Hafiz Ahmad Miakhel, media advisor to the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, told Pajhwok Afghan News that Afghanistan in a joint statement with Finland had agreed to support Finland in deportation of Afghan refugees whose asylum pleas had been rejected.

Under similar memorandums of understanding signed with the European Union and Germany, Afghan refugees would be treated in line with served with international conventions and treaties, he said.

According to the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, more than 250,000 Afghans sought asylum in 2015 and 50,000 others in 2016 in European countries.

mds/ma