March 18, 2005
CHAMBLISS APPOINTED TO US-RUSSIA JOINT COMMISSION ON POW/MIAs
WASHINGTON Ð U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., has been appointed to the U.S.-Russian Joint Commission on POW/MIAs. The U.S. - Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIAs (USRJC) was established in March 1992 by direction of the Presidents of the United States and of the Russian Federation. The Commission serves as a forum through which both nations seek to determine the fate of their missing servicemen.
"We are honored and pleased that you have agreed to join us in this noble work Ð an effort to clarify the fates of over 80,000 missing American military servicemen from conflicts since the beginning of World War II," wrote Jerry D. Jennings, U.S. Chairman of the US-Russian Joint Commission on POW/MIAs.
The Commission is organized into four working groups, each representing a key area of investigation. These groups encompass World War II; the Korean War; the Vietnam War, and the Cold War. The last of these has focused on American aircraft lost during the Cold War period as well as Soviet military personnel unaccounted for from Afghanistan and other areas of conflict. In addition, the Gulag Study team was created within the Joint Commission Support Directorate to investigate the substantial number of reports received about U.S. servicemen taken to, and held within, the camps and other detention facilities of the former Soviet Union.
Chambliss replaces former Sen. Bob Smith on the Commission and will serve as the Chairman of the Vietnam War Working Group.
"We are thrilled Senator Chambliss will fill this important vacancy," said Jo Anne Shirley, Chairman of the Board for the National League of POW/MIAs Families and the sister of Major M. Jones, USAF, flight surgeon, missing in action 11-28-72.Ê "We have a great deal of confidence in Senator Chambliss and are excited about his appointment to the Commission, because he understands the issues important to POW/MIAs families. We also have a great deal of confidence in the US-Russia Joint Commission, their support staff, and the integrated relationship the Commission has with their counterparts in Moscow. We also look forward to continue making progress for the accountability of so many missing Americans."
"This Commission works on a number of pressing issues and I am honored to be assisting them with their important work, especially with respect to locating Unites States service members in Vietnam and Southeast Asia," said Chambliss.
The Commission's objectives are: to determine whether American servicemen are being held against their will on the territory of the former Soviet Union and, if so, to secure their immediate release and repatriation; to locate and return to the United States the remains of any deceased American servicemen interred in the former Soviet Union, and to ascertain the facts regarding American servicemen who were not repatriated and whose fate remains unresolved.
For more information, contact ChamblissÕ press office at 202-224-3423.
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This is outstanding, welcome news and long overdue. We are very pleased and relived to now have Senator Chambliss formally on board as a Commissioner, serving as the Vietnam War Working Group Chairman. In that capacity, his counterpart will be Russian General Major Nikolai Bezborodov, a member of the Russian Duma, their equivalent of our congress or other countries' parliament. Now, we must push the Democratic leadership of theÊSenate to replace Senator John Kerry (D-MA) who has never participated in the work of the US-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIA Affairs. Please thank Senator Chambliss for his willingness to serve.
Best to all,
Ê
Ann Mills Griffiths
Executive Director
National League of POW/MIA Families
1005 North Glebe Road, Suite 170
Arlington, VA 22201
(PH)703-465-7432 (FX) 703-465-7433