POW-MIA Relatives Plan Special Geneva-Paris Mission Press Release

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s-con_293_018_001_tr.txt

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Extent (Dublin Core)

2 Pages

File Name (Dublin Core)

s-con_293_018_001

Title (Dublin Core)

POW-MIA Relatives Plan Special Geneva-Paris Mission Press Release

Description (Dublin Core)

Press Release from National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia describing a delegation of 165 wives and relatives of missing and imprisoned American servicemen traveling to Geneva, Switzerland, Paris, to seek aid for their missing family members.

Date (Dublin Core)

1971-05

Date Created (Dublin Core)

1971-05

Congress (Dublin Core)

92nd (1971-1973)

Topics (Dublin Core)

See all items with this valuePrisoners of war

See all items with this valueMissing in action

See all items with this valueVietnam War, 1961-1975

Policy Area (Curation)

Armed Forces and National Security

Creator (Dublin Core)

National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia

Record Type (Dublin Core)

press releases

Rights (Dublin Core)

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/

Language (Dublin Core)

eng

Collection Finding Aid (Dublin Core)

https://dolearchivecollections.ku.edu/index.php?p=collections/controlcard&id=31&q=

Physical Location (Dublin Core)

Collection 002, Box 293, Folder 18

Institution (Dublin Core)

Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

Archival Collection (Dublin Core)

Robert J. Dole Senate Papers-Constituent Relations, 1969-1996

Full Text (Extract Text)

This document is from the collections at the Dole Archives, University of Kansas
http://dolearchives.ku.edu

handwritten at top of page: Leg. pow

POW-MIA NEWS RELEASE

National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia
1 Constitution Avenue, N. E., Washington, D. C. 20002 ... (202) 5/0628-6811

CONTACT: (your name)

POW-MIA RELATIVES PLAN SPECIAL GENEVA-PARIS MISSIONS
A delegation of more than 165 wives and relatives of missing and imprisoned American servicemen will leave Dulles Airport, Washington, D. C. at 9 p.m., May 21, on a special mission to Geneva, Switzerland; Paris and other world capitals. Their objectives will be: (1) to seek support from all countries for provisions of the Geneva Convention, and (2) to ask the North Vietnamese and NIF delegations for a firm commitment regarding release of prisoners of war so that the way can be cleared for withdrawal of U. S. troops from Indochina.

A group of (blank space) relatives from the state of (blank space) will represent families of MIA/FOW's from this area.

The group will travel first to Geneva to appeal for support for the Geneva Convention. The international agreement will be the subject of a meeting May 24 in the Swiss city of international legal experts representing more than 30 countries. The session will be held under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Among the countries which have indicated they will send representatives are the United States, the Soviet Union and East Germany.

Members of the League of Families will call on delegates to the ICRC meet- ing to ask their help in insuring that all countries comply with the Geneva Convention, which was signed by all parties to the conflict in Vietnam.

"We hope to express our concern for all prisoners of war, and all those affected by the conflict in Vietnam. We hope the countries represented at this meeting will resolve to demand impartial inspection of all POW camps, a complete accounting of all prisoners and those missing, immediate release of the sick and wounded, and that mail flow be in accordance with the provisions of the Geneva Convention", explains Mrs. Joan Vinson, National Coordinator of the National League of Families of American Prison- ers and Missing in Southeast Asia.

The second major phase of the trip will take more than 100 of the family members to Paris on May 26, where they hope to meet with North Vietnamese and Provisional Revolutionary Government representatives. Their purpose will be to appeal for a firm commitment for release of prisoners of war held by them and their allies, which would clear the way for total withdrawal or U. S. troops from South Vietnam.

s-con_293_018_001_A1b.pdf Page 1 of 2

This document is from the collections at the Dole Archives, University of Kansas
http://dolearchives.ku.edu

The family members' trip to Paris is motivated by President Nixon's April 29th statement that "as far as any action on our part of ending American involvement completely, and that means a total withdrawal is concerned, that will have to be delayed until we get not just the promise to discuss the release of our prisoners, but a commitment to release our prisoners ... " Such a commitment from the other side, the wives and relatives feel, could lead to an immediate breakthrough in settling the war. They also will urge acceptance of the Swedish government's offer to intern all POW's of the Vietnam conflict.

Members of the family group also will travel to other European cities, to visit government officials, embassy delegations and local offices of the ICRC in their quest for support. Most are paying all of their own expenses; some have received support from local citizens groups in their home areas.

s-con_293_018_001_A1b.pdf Page 2 of 2

This document is from the collections at the Dole Archives, University of Kansas
http://dolearchives.ku.edu

handwritten at top of page: Leg. pow

POW-MIA NEWS RELEASE

National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia
1 Constitution Avenue, N. E., Washington, D. C. 20002 ... (202) 5/0628-6811

CONTACT: (your name)

POW-MIA RELATIVES PLAN SPECIAL GENEVA-PARIS MISSIONS
A delegation of more than 165 wives and relatives of missing and imprisoned American servicemen will leave Dulles Airport, Washington, D. C. at 9 p.m., May 21, on a special mission to Geneva, Switzerland; Paris and other world capitals. Their objectives will be: (1) to seek support from all countries for provisions of the Geneva Convention, and (2) to ask the North Vietnamese and NIF delegations for a firm commitment regarding release of prisoners of war so that the way can be cleared for withdrawal of U. S. troops from Indochina.

A group of (blank space) relatives from the state of (blank space) will represent families of MIA/FOW's from this area.

The group will travel first to Geneva to appeal for support for the Geneva Convention. The international agreement will be the subject of a meeting May 24 in the Swiss city of international legal experts representing more than 30 countries. The session will be held under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Among the countries which have indicated they will send representatives are the United States, the Soviet Union and East Germany.

Members of the League of Families will call on delegates to the ICRC meet- ing to ask their help in insuring that all countries comply with the Geneva Convention, which was signed by all parties to the conflict in Vietnam.

"We hope to express our concern for all prisoners of war, and all those affected by the conflict in Vietnam. We hope the countries represented at this meeting will resolve to demand impartial inspection of all POW camps, a complete accounting of all prisoners and those missing, immediate release of the sick and wounded, and that mail flow be in accordance with the provisions of the Geneva Convention", explains Mrs. Joan Vinson, National Coordinator of the National League of Families of American Prison- ers and Missing in Southeast Asia.

The second major phase of the trip will take more than 100 of the family members to Paris on May 26, where they hope to meet with North Vietnamese and Provisional Revolutionary Government representatives. Their purpose will be to appeal for a firm commitment for release of prisoners of war held by them and their allies, which would clear the way for total withdrawal or U. S. troops from South Vietnam.

s-con_293_018_001_A1b.pdf Page 1 of 2

This document is from the collections at the Dole Archives, University of Kansas
http://dolearchives.ku.edu

The family members' trip to Paris is motivated by President Nixon's April 29th statement that "as far as any action on our part of ending American involvement completely, and that means a total withdrawal is concerned, that will have to be delayed until we get not just the promise to discuss the release of our prisoners, but a commitment to release our prisoners ... " Such a commitment from the other side, the wives and relatives feel, could lead to an immediate breakthrough in settling the war. They also will urge acceptance of the Swedish government's offer to intern all POW's of the Vietnam conflict.

Members of the family group also will travel to other European cities, to visit government officials, embassy delegations and local offices of the ICRC in their quest for support. Most are paying all of their own expenses; some have received support from local citizens groups in their home areas.

s-con_293_018_001_A1b.pdf Page 2 of 2

This document is from the collections at the Dole Archives, University of Kansas
http://dolearchives.ku.edu

handwritten at top of page: Leg. pow

POW-MIA NEWS RELEASE

National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia
1 Constitution Avenue, N. E., Washington, D. C. 20002 ... (202) 5/0628-6811

CONTACT: (your name)

POW-MIA RELATIVES PLAN SPECIAL GENEVA-PARIS MISSIONS
A delegation of more than 165 wives and relatives of missing and imprisoned American servicemen will leave Dulles Airport, Washington, D. C. at 9 p.m., May 21, on a special mission to Geneva, Switzerland; Paris and other world capitals. Their objectives will be: (1) to seek support from all countries for provisions of the Geneva Convention, and (2) to ask the North Vietnamese and NIF delegations for a firm commitment regarding release of prisoners of war so that the way can be cleared for withdrawal of U. S. troops from Indochina.

A group of (blank space) relatives from the state of (blank space) will represent families of MIA/FOW's from this area.

The group will travel first to Geneva to appeal for support for the Geneva Convention. The international agreement will be the subject of a meeting May 24 in the Swiss city of international legal experts representing more than 30 countries. The session will be held under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Among the countries which have indicated they will send representatives are the United States, the Soviet Union and East Germany.

Members of the League of Families will call on delegates to the ICRC meet- ing to ask their help in insuring that all countries comply with the Geneva Convention, which was signed by all parties to the conflict in Vietnam.

"We hope to express our concern for all prisoners of war, and all those affected by the conflict in Vietnam. We hope the countries represented at this meeting will resolve to demand impartial inspection of all POW camps, a complete accounting of all prisoners and those missing, immediate release of the sick and wounded, and that mail flow be in accordance with the provisions of the Geneva Convention", explains Mrs. Joan Vinson, National Coordinator of the National League of Families of American Prison- ers and Missing in Southeast Asia.

The second major phase of the trip will take more than 100 of the family members to Paris on May 26, where they hope to meet with North Vietnamese and Provisional Revolutionary Government representatives. Their purpose will be to appeal for a firm commitment for release of prisoners of war held by them and their allies, which would clear the way for total withdrawal or U. S. troops from South Vietnam.

s-con_293_018_001_A1b.pdf Page 1 of 2

This document is from the collections at the Dole Archives, University of Kansas
http://dolearchives.ku.edu

The family members' trip to Paris is motivated by President Nixon's April 29th statement that "as far as any action on our part of ending American involvement completely, and that means a total withdrawal is concerned, that will have to be delayed until we get not just the promise to discuss the release of our prisoners, but a commitment to release our prisoners ... " Such a commitment from the other side, the wives and relatives feel, could lead to an immediate breakthrough in settling the war. They also will urge acceptance of the Swedish government's offer to intern all POW's of the Vietnam conflict.

Members of the family group also will travel to other European cities, to visit government officials, embassy delegations and local offices of the ICRC in their quest for support. Most are paying all of their own expenses; some have received support from local citizens groups in their home areas.

s-con_293_018_001_A1b.pdf Page 2 of 2