HOST COUNTRIES OF IRAQI REFUGEES ARE DUE TO MEET IN AMMAN ON JULY 26 TO DISCUSS HOW BEST TO COPE WITH THEM, THE JORDANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SAID WEDNESDAY, ACCORDING TO DPA. "THE MEETING WILL DISCUSS MEANS OF EXTENDING SUPPORT TO THE HOST COUNTRIES OF IRAQI REFUGEES TO ENABLE THEM COPE WITH THE BIG BURDENS AND PRESSURES THEY ARE FACING IN VARIOUS SECTORS DUE TO THE DRAIN ON THEIR SERVICES" RESULTING FROM THE PRESENCE OF A LARGE NUMBER OF IRAQIS IN THESE COUNTRIES, THE MINISTRY SAID IN A STATEMENT. ACCORDING TO THE UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR), ANTONIO GUTERRES, ABOUT 2 MILLION IRAQIS HAVE TAKEN REFUGE IN NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY IN JORDAN AND SYRIA, WHERE THEY ARE PLACING A HEAVY BURDEN ON THEIR HOSTS. HE DESCRIBED THE EXODUS AS THE LARGEST LONG-TERM POPULATION MOVEMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST SINCE THE DISPLACEMENT OF PALESTINIANS THAT FOLLOWED THE CREATION OF ISRAEL IN 1948.
