Aid for Karnpucheans Remarks Following a Meeting With Senators Jim Sasser, Max Baucus, and John C. Danforth on Their Trip to Southeast Asia.

My first comment to the press and to the American people is one of thanks and appreciation on behalf of all of our country to Senators Sasser, Baucus, and Danforth, who have just returned from a visit to Thailand and Kampuchea to represent our Nation in the analysis of what can be done to alleviate the tragedy that is taking place in that country.

It's been estimated that almost half the people of Kampuchea have lost their lives in the last few years. And at the present time, hundreds of thousands of people in that unfortunate country and some refugees that have crossed the Thai border are now at the point of death because of starvation.

Our country has been encouraging, through the United Nations and also through the International Red Cross, a means by which we could get food to those people, over the obstacles created by the Vietnamese and the Kampuchcan authorities of all kinds. We have discussed this matter in the last few minutes. Senators Sasser and Baucus and Danforth have given me a report of what they observed there. They'll answer questions for you in a few minutes.

We are prepared as a nation—my own administration and the Congress—to proceed expeditiously in every possible way to alleviate the extant suffering. I will ask Dick Clark, former Senator now in charge of our refugee program, to represent me directly. The State Department and I will give him full authority and support throughout all the agencies of government to make his administration of relief to those people effective. As the Senators have just described to me, it's mandatory for effectiveness to deal with the starving people and deliver aid through the United Nations and also through the Red Cross, not on a unilateral basis.

We have had some discouraging word from the officials in Phnom Penh. We hope that this is a temporary circumstance and that because of world concern, that they would modify their positions and permit a land bridge to be formed so that food can be brought in through Thailand, over the border, to the people who are suffering so greatly, primarily by truck.

I might add one other thing, that I have agreed with the Senators that it would be important for them to talk directly to Secretary-General Waldheim of the United Nations, to give him a firsthand report and also to seek his continuing support for the effort that all of us are joining in helping.

I want to say that the Thai Government has performed nobly in preparing and permitting a haven for the starving Kampucheans and are cooperating in every possible way to get food to the refugees who new are living on the borderline of death in their own country.

I'd like to turn the podium over to Senator Sasser, who was the leader of this group, and let him make a report to you. And then he and Senators Baucus and Danforth will answer questions that you might have.

Thank you very much, Jim Sasser, for a very fine and—

SENATOR SASSER. Thank you, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT.—a very fine and successful visit and also one that I think demonstrated a great degree of human courage.