News

ACCESSION 
NUMBER:346826

FILE ID:POL303

DATE:06/01/94

TITLE:STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1 (06/01/94)

TEXT:*94060103.POL

STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1

(Colombia-radar, Cuba, North Korea, Cambodia-Thailand) (690)

NEWS BRIEFING -- Deputy spokesman Christine Shelly discussed the following

1opics:



REAL TIME RADAR INTELLIGENCE CUT OFF FOR COLOMBIA, PERU

The U.S. Defense Department continues to review the May 1 suspension of a

four-year program for sharing "real time radar intelligence" with the

governments of Colombia and Peru.



The suspension "puts the governments of Peru and Colombia at a disadvantage

in interdicting air shipments of cocaine to the United States," the deputy

spokesman said.  The United States estimates that traffic was approximately

600 metric tons in 1993.



U.S. officials have said the intelligence information was being used by

Colombian and Peruvian air force planes to shoot down drug traffickers

rather than intercepting them and forcing them to land and stand trial.



"There's a very long history to this and these are very, very serious

discussions and exchanges that we've had," Shelly told reporters.  "The

review has not yet been completed, and I think until that review is

completed and some of these other issues that have emerged have been

addressed, this is about all I can tell you."



She said it was too early to speculate about whether the program would be

reinstated.  But she emphasized "we are very concerned with having the

strongest possible drug interdiction programs."



U.S. WANTS PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF ASYLUM ATTEMPT IN HAVANA

The United States hopes for a peaceful resolution of the situation in Havana

where over 100 Cubans are seeking asylum at the residence of the Belgian

ambassador, Shelly said.



She dismissed Cuban allegations that a restrictive U.S. immigration policy

is responsible for this incident, commenting that "Our view is that it's

the lack of political and economic reform in Cuba which creates an

environment which can be conducive" to this kind of situation.



The deputy spokesman pointed to a 1984 bilateral migration agreement with

Cuba "which we believe is working quite well and which does satisfy the

interests of both countries."



Under the provisions of agreement more than 33,000 refugees, immigrants and

parolees have been admitted to the United States from Cuba, Shelly said,

noting that "Only those who qualify under the appropriate provisions of

U.S. immigration law, of course, may be admitted."



NORTH KOREA STILL DISCHARGING FUEL FROM REACTOR

North Korea continues to discharge fuel from its nuclear reactor at a "rapid

place" and "in a manner which may block" the International Atomic Energy

Agency's (IAEA) ability to determine how much plutonium has been separated.



"So far, the IAEA has not informed us that it would be impossible to carry

out analysis of the fuel to determine the reactor's operating history.

(But) The continuing fuel discharge at the pace that we've described is

certainly jeopardizing that ability," Shelly pointed out.



She said North Korea's test of an anti-ship missile on May 30 in the Sea of

Japan "can only add to the tensions which already exist in the region."



The United States has "repeatedly warned of the potential implications for

regional stability of North Korea's separate ballistic missile program,"

the deputy spokesman stressed.



THAILAND URGED TO CUT OFF AID TO KHMER ROUGE

Asked about a Washington Post story which alleges Thailand is supporting the

Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, Shelly said the United States will continue to

urge Thai government and military officials to make sure that all such

1upport is cut off.



The Thai government, including the military, has a "clearly-enunciated"

policy of non-support for the Khmer Rouge, she noted.  "Questions have

certainly arisen over the implementation of this policy."



"We have raised this matter with the Thai government and military

officials," the deputy spokesman continued.  "We have strongly urged that

every effort be made to ensure that all support for and contact with the

Khmer Rouge would be cut off."



Regarding the situation inside Cambodia, she stressed that the United States

"supports the freely-elected Royal Cambodian Government and commends the

Royal Cambodian Government for its attempts to bring about a cease-fire in

Cambodia."



NNNN



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