HILL BRIEFING ON RESETTLEMENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90B01390R000700920072-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 15, 2010
• Sequence Number: 72
• Publication Date: March 1, 1986
• Content Type: CABLE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/24 :CIA-RDP90B01390R000700920072-3
OCA
INCOMING
RR RUEAIIB
ZNY CCCCC ZOC STATE ZZH
RR RUEHC RUEHDS
DE RUEHC N3254 0600511
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 0105092 MAR 86
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2020
BT
PAGE 001 NC 0077203
TOR: 0106152 MAR 86 STATE 063254
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS:
SUBJECT: HILL BR.IEFTNG ON RESETTLEMENT
1. AID (EDELMAN, MORSE, ABRAMS, NORTH) AND STATE STAFF
(GRIBBIN) BRIEFED STAFF OF SENATE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE ON RESETTLEMENT ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21. JERRY
TINKER OF SEN. KENNEDY'S STAFF ALSD ATTENDED BRIEFING.
SUBJECT OF CRS WAS ALSO BRIEFLY TOUCHED ON. IT WAS A
PRODUCTIVE SESSION.
2. MARM. EDELMAN OPENED WITH OVERVIEIV OF ISSUE AND
UNDERLINED THAT THERE IS NO DOUBT AS TO THE AWFUL
EFFECTS OF THE PMGSE FORCED RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM.
NUMBERS OF DEATHS CAN BE DISPUTED BUT NOT THE NATURE OF
THE PROGRAM. USG OBJECTIONS TO PROGRAM, OUR EVIDENCE TO
SUPPORT OUR CONCERNS AND STRATEGY FOR DEALING WITH PMGSE
ON THIS ISSUE WERE ALSO REVIEWED.
3. SENATE STAFFERS EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT MAGNITUDE
OF SUFFERING WAS UNKNOWN. THEY FEAR EFFECTS OF
PERCEIVED FAILURE TO ACT OR ALTERNATIVELY POLITICAL
COSTS OF OVER REACTING. THEY REPORTED THERE ARE SOME ON
HILL WHO MIGHT USE RESETTLEMENT AS PRE-TEXT FOR HALTING
ALL HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO ETHIOPIA.
4. MARK EDELMAN STRESSED THAT NO ONE IN THE
ADMINISTRATION WOULt~ SUPPORT SUCH AN ACTION. US AID IS
CAREFULLY MONITOREC ANU IT IS REACHING VICTIMS OF
DROUGHT INDUCED FAMINE IN ETHIOPIA.
5. GENERALLY, IT APPEARED THAT SENATE STAFFERS
SUPPORTED OUR EFFORTS TO WORK PUBLICLY AND PR?VATELY
WTIH UN, OTHER DONORS AND PVOS TO PU7 PRESSURE ON PMGSE
TO SUSPEND PROGRAM, IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN SITES, OPEN
SITES TO MONITORING AND PRESS, ASSURE FREE MOVEMENT INTO
AND OUT OF SITES, AND GIVE PRIORITY TO MOVING RELIEF
FOODS. SITUATION AT GENEVA WAS ALSO TOUCHED ON.
6. SENATOR KASTEN MAY INTRODUCE REP. ROUKEMA'S
RESOLUTION IN THE SENATE. THIS WOULD BE WELCOME. A
HEARING ON THE ISSUE MAY ALSO BE CALLED.
7. CRS. OF INTEREST WAS OUTBURST BY ONE SENATE STAFFER
THAT HE HAD HAD IT WITH CRS?AND WOULD NO LONGER
CONTRIBUTE TO THE ORGANIZATION. ITS UNCLEAR IF THIS
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/24 :CIA-RDP90B01390R000700920072-3
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/24 :CIA-RDP90B01390R000700920072-3
CONFIDENTIAL
86 0077203 SCR PAGE 002 NC 0077203
TOR: 0106152 MAR 86 STATE 063254
UNFAVORABLE SENTIMENT IS SHARED BY MANY ON HILL BUT NONE
OF THE OTHER STAFFERS PRESENT APPEARED UNCOMFORTABLE
WITH THIS STATEMENT. SHULT2
END OF MESSAGE CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/24 :CIA-RDP90B01390R000700920072-3