Iraq still too fragile to take back refugees: U.N.

GENEVA (Reuters) - Iraq remains too fragile to absorb the 1.5 million Iraqis still living outside its borders and any forced repatriation of refugees would place individuals at risk, the UNHCR said Tuesday.

"While overall security conditions are improving, they are not yet sustainable enough to have encouraged massive returns of Iraqis," UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond told a news conference in Geneva, where it has its headquarters.

While some returns had already taken place, Redmond said, many of them had not been safe or sustainable.

"It is UNHCR's opinion that Iraqis should not be forced back, which would be detrimental to the safety of those concerned and would negatively affect the fragile absorption capacity of the country."

Iraq is not prepared for the large-scale return of refugees in Syria, Jordan and elsewhere, let alone the 2 million Iraqis sheltering in other parts of the country to escape violence in their villages, Redmond said.

The homes of many of those who fled the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Baghdad and the insurgent violence that followed it have been destroyed, leaving them nowhere to return to, he said.

Minority Palestinians, Iranians and Turks are also living in precarious conditions in Iraq.

Last month the UNHCR changed its guidance for countries considering applications for asylum from Iraqis to reflect more peaceful conditions in the north and south of the country, including Al-Anbar province.

It told host governments at that time that they should review asylum requests one-by-one to assess whether claimants are at direct risk because of their religious, ethnic or professional affiliation, or their sexual orientation.

Previously, the UNHCR had recommended that all applicants from Iraq -- except those that have committed war crimes or other violations -- should be granted at least temporary asylum because of the grave dangers faced by Iraqi civilians at home.

That guidance remains in place for people from the central core, including the capital Baghdad.

At a donors' meeting in Geneva last week, UNHCR officials said Iraq needed help to prepare for the eventual return of its nationals. In the meantime host countries facing "what they fear is gradually becoming a protracted refugee situation" will require continuing support, Redmond said.

"It would be far too risky to reduce support or engagement in the Iraq humanitarian operation at this very fragile stage," he said. "Bringing stability to such a complex situation is going to take time." (For more information on Iraq's humanitarian crisis please see: www.alertnet.org)

(Editing by Stephanie Nebehay and Jonathon Burch)