ACCESSION NUMBER:375854
FILE ID:EPF209
DATE:01/24/95
TITLE:CONGRESS REQUESTS REVIEW OF VIETNAM POW/MIA INFORMATION (01/24/95)
TEXT:*EPF209 01/24/95
1ONGRESS REQUESTS REVIEW OF VIETNAM POW/MIA INFORMATION
(Text: 1/24 letter to the president from Congress) (790)
Washington -- President Clinton received a letter from Congress January 24
requesting that he not open diplomatic liaison offices with the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam without first giving Congress the opportunity to review
information on POWs and MIAs.
The letter, which was written by Senator Bob Smith (Republican of New
Hampshire) and co-signed by the chairmen of nine congressional committees
and subcommittees, says Congress is concerned about Assistant Secretary of
State Winston Lord's January 12 announcement that "U.S. and SRV diplomation
liaison offices in Hanoi and Washington would be opened 'within a few
weeks.'"
The letter also mentions that the Vietnamese officials have refused, as
recently as last October, to further discuss U.S. concerns about relevant
documents from Russian archives and also have continued to withhold key
politburo and Ministry of Defense records in Hanoi.
The text of the letter follows:
(begin text)
January 24, 1995
The Honorable William J. Clinton
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
We are writing to request that you not open diplomatic liaison offices with
the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) without first giving the Congress
the opportunity to review the information on POWs and MIAs required within
45 days under Section 1034 of Public Law 103-337.
As you know, the Secretary of Defense is required under Section 1034 to
provide us with a complete listing by name of all missing and otherwise
unaccounted for U.S. personnel about whom it is possible that Vietnamese
and Laotian officials can produce additional information or remains. This
information was required by November 17, 1994. However, the Department of
Defense subsequently requested an extension to February 17, 1995 to which
we did not object. We now understand that there is a possibility the
Department of Defense may not fully comply with this requirement by
February 17th.
We are, therefore, concerned with Assistant Secretary of State Winston
Lord's announcement on January 12, 1995 that U.S. and SRV diplomation
liaison offices in Hanoi and Washington would be opened "within a few
weeks." While we are aware that an agreement on this matter was initiated
in December between Vietnam and the United States, we trust that you will
not allow this agreement to take effect without first fulfilling the
straightforward requirement contained in Section 1034 of Public Law
103-337. We wish to emphasize that we would be extremely concerned if any
level of diplomatic relations was established with Vietnam before the 104th
Congress has had the opportunity to review the information required under
Section 1034.
During the Congressional debate on lifting the trade embargo against Vietnam
last year, there was sharp division on whether Vietnamese officials are
being fully forthcoming on the POW/MIA issue (a 14 vote difference in the
House on the Snowe amendment, and a 16 vote difference in the Senate on the
Dole/Smith amendment). Since that time, we understand that Vietnamese
officials have refused, as recently as last October, to further discuss
U.S. concerns about relevant documents from Russian archives. We further
understand that they have continued to withhold key politburo and Ministry
of Defense records in Hanoi.
Finally, we have been made aware that a detailed account of POW/MIA
1nformation being withheld by Vietnamese officials was recently disclosed
to the press by a former DIA contract agent. Given these revelations, we
believe most members of the new 104th Congress would be concerned about the
level of cooperation we are receiving from Vietnamese officials. We also
believe that these disclosures, and the apparent Vietnamese unwillingness
to provide key information, underscores the need for your Administration to
fully comply with Section 1034 of Public Law 103-337 before proceeding on
the diplomatic front with Vietnam.
We thank you for your assistance on this matter.
Sincerely,
(SIGNED) (SIGNED)
BOB SMITH, USS JESSE HELMS, USS
Member, Committee on Chairman, Committee on
Armed Services Foreign Relations
(SIGNED) (SIGNED)
STROM THURMOND, USS ARLEN SPECTER, USS
Chairman, Committee on Chairman, Select Committee
Armed Services on Intelligence
(SIGNED) (SIGNED)
CRAIG THOMAS, USS OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, USS
Chairman, Subcommittee on Chairman, Subcommittee on
East Asian and Pacific Affairs Internatinoal Operations
(SIGNED) (SIGNED)
BENJAMIN A. GILMAN, MC DOUG BEREUTER, MC
Chairman, Committee on Chairman, International
International Relations Relations Subcommittee on
Asia and the Pacific
(SIGNED)
ROBERT K. DORNAN
Chairman, National Security
Subcommittee on Military Personnel
(end text)
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