PARIS, Nov 30: France said on Saturday that it was fully justified in expelling eight Afghan DPs last week.

A spokesman for the UN High Commission on Refugees in Geneva on Friday had condemned France’s “forceful return” of the refugees, saying “it “constitutes a violation of the spirit” of a tripartite accord signed on Sept 28 between the UNHCR, Afghanistan and France.

According to that agreement, Afghans were to be allowed to voluntarily return to Kabul, and in doing so receive 2000 euros in financial assistance. Ron Redmond, the UNHCR’s spokesman, noted that the accord was to have been observed at least through the end of winter.

A spokesman for French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy immediately replied to the UNHCR criticism by noting that the eight Afghan nationals had been offered the possibility of voluntarily returning to Kabul, but had “declined the offer.”

They also had refused, said the spokesman, the possibility of applying for the status of political refugee in France.