ACCESSION NUMBER:312313

FILE ID:EPF502

DATE:11/12/93

TITLE:WHITE HOUSE REPORT, NOVEMBER 12 (11/12/93)

TEXT:*93111202.EPF

*EPF502   11/12/93 *



WHITE HOUSE REPORT, NOVEMBER 12

(POW/MIA documents)  (260)

Statement of November 10 by Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers:

(begin text)

Last Memorial Day, President Clinton pledged to the American people that the

U.S. Government would complete by Veterans Day this year the review and

declassification of all documents relating to the Vietnam War and American

POW/MIA's in Southeast Asia.  That work has been completed by relevant U.S.

Government agencies -- the Departments of State and Defense, the Central

Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Council -- in accordance

with orders to make these documents publicly available, with a few specific

exceptions.



In all, approximately 1.7 million pages of documents were reviewed,

declassified and approved for release.  Among other subjects, the documents

cover individuals held as prisoners or missing in action, U.S. policies

pertaining to POW and MIA issues, and U.S. negotiations with Vietnam and

Laos at the Paris Peace talks.  Those talks involved the release of known

POWs and pressed for a full accounting for personnel missing in action in

Indochina during the hostilities.



The small proportion of documents not declassified pertain to sensitive

foreign policy discussions and currently active negotiations; intelligence

sources and methods; ongoing clandestine operations; and privacy issues

related to returnees and the families of POWs and MIAs.



Arrangements are being made to sort and index the released documents to make

them more convenient for public use.  We remain committed to the review,

declassification, and public release of newly obtained information at the

1arliest possible time.



(end text)

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