ACCESSION NUMBER:346826 FILE ID:POL303 DATE:06/01/94 TITLE:STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1 (06/01/94) TEXT:*94060103.POL STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1 (Colombia-radar, Cuba, North Korea, Cambodia-Thailand) (690) NEWS BRIEFING -- Deputy spokesman Christine Shelly discussed the following 1opics: REAL TIME RADAR INTELLIGENCE CUT OFF FOR COLOMBIA, PERU The U.S. Defense Department continues to review the May 1 suspension of a four-year program for sharing "real time radar intelligence" with the governments of Colombia and Peru. The suspension "puts the governments of Peru and Colombia at a disadvantage in interdicting air shipments of cocaine to the United States," the deputy spokesman said. The United States estimates that traffic was approximately 600 metric tons in 1993. U.S. officials have said the intelligence information was being used by Colombian and Peruvian air force planes to shoot down drug traffickers rather than intercepting them and forcing them to land and stand trial. "There's a very long history to this and these are very, very serious discussions and exchanges that we've had," Shelly told reporters. "The review has not yet been completed, and I think until that review is completed and some of these other issues that have emerged have been addressed, this is about all I can tell you." She said it was too early to speculate about whether the program would be reinstated. But she emphasized "we are very concerned with having the strongest possible drug interdiction programs." U.S. WANTS PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF ASYLUM ATTEMPT IN HAVANA The United States hopes for a peaceful resolution of the situation in Havana where over 100 Cubans are seeking asylum at the residence of the Belgian ambassador, Shelly said. She dismissed Cuban allegations that a restrictive U.S. immigration policy is responsible for this incident, commenting that "Our view is that it's the lack of political and economic reform in Cuba which creates an environment which can be conducive" to this kind of situation. The deputy spokesman pointed to a 1984 bilateral migration agreement with Cuba "which we believe is working quite well and which does satisfy the interests of both countries." Under the provisions of agreement more than 33,000 refugees, immigrants and parolees have been admitted to the United States from Cuba, Shelly said, noting that "Only those who qualify under the appropriate provisions of U.S. immigration law, of course, may be admitted." NORTH KOREA STILL DISCHARGING FUEL FROM REACTOR North Korea continues to discharge fuel from its nuclear reactor at a "rapid place" and "in a manner which may block" the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) ability to determine how much plutonium has been separated. "So far, the IAEA has not informed us that it would be impossible to carry out analysis of the fuel to determine the reactor's operating history. (But) The continuing fuel discharge at the pace that we've described is certainly jeopardizing that ability," Shelly pointed out. She said North Korea's test of an anti-ship missile on May 30 in the Sea of Japan "can only add to the tensions which already exist in the region." The United States has "repeatedly warned of the potential implications for regional stability of North Korea's separate ballistic missile program," the deputy spokesman stressed. THAILAND URGED TO CUT OFF AID TO KHMER ROUGE Asked about a Washington Post story which alleges Thailand is supporting the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, Shelly said the United States will continue to urge Thai government and military officials to make sure that all such 1upport is cut off. The Thai government, including the military, has a "clearly-enunciated" policy of non-support for the Khmer Rouge, she noted. "Questions have certainly arisen over the implementation of this policy." "We have raised this matter with the Thai government and military officials," the deputy spokesman continued. "We have strongly urged that every effort be made to ensure that all support for and contact with the Khmer Rouge would be cut off." Regarding the situation inside Cambodia, she stressed that the United States "supports the freely-elected Royal Cambodian Government and commends the Royal Cambodian Government for its attempts to bring about a cease-fire in Cambodia." NNNN .