The Office of the Refugee Commissioner refers to the comments made by Deborah Davis as Malta's temporary Amnesty International campaigner (December 10).

The Office of the Refugee Commissioner categorically denies any insinuation that its procedures were often not in line with international standards and that these procedures are not fair and satisfactory. This is simply not true.

The office's case workers invariably inform asylum seekers of their rights according to law, including their entitlement to the assistance of a lawyer throughout the asylum procedure, to contact the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to present their case fully and to make any submissions to the Refugee Commissioner.

In effect, the office invariably gives asylum seekers all opportunity to present their case fully and effectively and ensures confidentiality not only during the interview process but at all times.

With regard to the availability of interpreters, the office, like so many other similar institutions elsewhere, does meet certain problems especially with regard to certain languages. However, every effort is made to ensure that the level of interpretation is satisfactory.

The Office of the Refugee Commissioner's doors, during interviews, are fully open to the UNHCR representative and/or lawyers representing applicants. Indeed, this office encourages UNHCR to be present during interviews.

As to the length of the procedures in the first instance, this depends very much on the nature of the cases themselves and the size of the caseload. The Office of the Refugee Commissioner is interviewing asylum seekers who arrived in Malta last July and form part of the over 1,800 boat people who reached the island this year in just a few months.

The Amnesty International representative may rest assured that, as may be confirmed by professionals familiar with the procedure of the Office of the Refugee Commissioner, this procedure is fair, professional and reliable.