Mr. President. this week. the United Nations General Assembly is expected to begin its debate on renewing the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near EastUNRWA. UNRWA. with headquarters in Beirut. operates in Lebanon. Syria. Jordan. and the Israeliadministered territories of Gaza and the West Bank. Nearly 1.600.000 refugees are currently registered for UNRWAs educational. medical. and other humanitarian services. Over the years. the Subcommittee on Refugees. which I serve as chairman. has closely followed the UNRWA program. and this international humanitarian agency deserves high tribute for its efforts in behalf of the refugees. The financial situation of UNRWA. however. continues to deteriorate. In fact. in his current annual report. Sir John Rennie. the CommissionerGeneral of UNRWA. calls the financial situation "precarious." Official estimates now put the agencys deficit at some $44 million. And unless governments increase their contributions to UNRWA. the agencys services. including the distribution of food rations to the needy and the education of young refugees. will be sharply curtailed. And this could seriously injure the persistent efforts for a negotiated settlement in the Middle East. Mr. President. earlier this year. I recommended a Presidential determination for an emergency U.S. contribution to UNRWA. As a result. in July the U.S. committed $4.200.000 toward a special UNRWA account to support the education of young refugees. About the same time. the European Economic Community made a special contribution of some $8.500.000and smaller amounts came from other sources. The administration has requested some $23.500.000 for the regular American contribution in fiscal year 1975.
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Refugees refugees