International Roundup

An officer in the Iraqi Republican Guard has fled to Britain and applied for asylum. The soldier, whose name has not been disclosed, is also a senior member of the Ba'ath Party and fought against British and American forces before escaping to Syria shortly after the war began in March. He said he left Iraq when he realized Saddam Hussein's regime had no hope of victory and that his life would be in danger if he returned to a post-Hussein Iraq. Officials said the man had undergone an initial screening interview and that they were checking to see if he was on any international wanted list. A Home Office spokesman said the asylum-seeker had changed some details of his story during the interview and that officials were trying to establish his precise rank.

Britain gave asylum to several former Taliban members, including an army commander and a government minister. A spokesman said it was possible that Ba'ath Party members could be granted asylum but that it wouldn't be automatic.

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An article in the Washington Times this week claimed the French government secretly supplied fleeing Iraqi officials with passports in Syria that allowed them to escape to Europe. U.S. intelligence officials told the newspaper that an unknown number of officials in Saddam Hussein's government were issued French passports, which are regarded as documents of the European Union, and have helped them avoid capture. Nathalie Loiseau, a spokeswoman for the French Embassy, said authorities have not issued any visas to officials of the former Iraqi regime since the beginning of the war in Iraq.

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A group of immigration lawyers in Australia has formed an organization called the Immigration Lawyers Association of Australasia (ILAA). Founders Glenn Ferguson and Anne O'Donoghue (a regular contributor to this newsletter) said immigration law was moving toward more rigorous professional standards, greater specialization and stronger oversight, and said they hope that the establishment of the ILAA will "add to the opportunities that immigration lawyers have for professional development within their field, whilst also encouraging a new area of practice for young lawyers."

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The first EU asylum seeker processing center to be opened outside EU territory could be operating by the end of the year, according to British Immigration Minister Beverley Hughes. Plans to establish the centers, possibly in Africa, would allow asylum seekers wanting to settle in EU countries to stay while their applications are determined.

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Immigration to Israel has dropped by 45 percent in the first quarter over the same period last year. A senior official blamed the decline on slashed immigrant benefits, an economic downturn and the war in Iraq. According to the Jewish Agency, fewer than 6,000 people immigrated to Israel in the first four months of 2003, compared to over 10,000 in 2002.

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A bill to allow dual citizenship to persons of Indian origin was slated to be introduced during the budget session of India's Parliament this week, but officials said debate and passage would not be taken up until the "monsoon session" that normally begins towards the end of July. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said dual citizenship would be offered during the first phase to citizens of Indian origin living in seven countries, which also offer dual citizenship - the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore.