Speech #920162865

Laugel. Director. Office of Refugee and Migration Affairs. Department of State. participated vigorously in the debates on the future of ICEM. the plight of Soviet Jews. and the possibility of making ICEMs services available in troubled areas. such as East Pakistan and India. ICEM had its beginning on November 26. 1951. in Brussels. Belgium. when representatives of 27 governments attended a migration conference convened by the Government of Belgium at the request of the United States of America. The Holy See. the United Nations. the International Labor Organization. the International Refugee Organization. the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. and many intergovernmental and nongovernmental agencies were represented by observers. This conference considered and adopted a resolution to establish the Provisional Committee for the Movement of Immigrants from Europe and that organization survived to become in 1954 the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration. The Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration. is a 31member nation international organization designed to carry out simultaneously three important programs: First. refugee migration. second. European nationals migration. and third. selected migration to Latin America. Additionally. ICEM provides a variety of corollary services. such as surveys to determine manpower requirements. participation and planning development projects. information. orientation and counselling. preparation and collection of documents. trade tests. medical examinations. language and vocational training. home economics courses. passport and visa services. embarkation. transport. reception and placement. and integration assistance. The transportation of migrants and refugees is one of the primary functions of ICEM and it is also one of the most complicated if one considers that. in an average year of the late 1960s. bookings were made on some 200 vessels. 1.600 scheduled air services. and 230 ICEM chartered aircraft. During the year 1970. an average of 240 persons were moving under ICEMs auspices each day. The record of ICEM is impressive and the achievements of this organization over the past 20 years have been truly remarkable. In fulfilling its mandate. ICEM has relocated over 900.000 displaced persons and refugees and it has also enabled 900.000 persons to obtain better opportunities for themselves and their families. Mr. Speaker. one of the subjects which I was able to discuss informally at the ICEM meeting related to the plight of Soviet Jews. While ICEM is not directly involved in handling this problem. the organization has provided substantial professional and technical advice to the private organizations which are concerned with the emigration of Jews from the Soviet Union and their relocation primarily in the State of Israel. I conferred with His Excellency. Mr. Shabtai Rosenne. Ambassador of Israel. and Mr. Eran Laor who represented the State of Israel at this conference and received detailed information regarding the manner in which the Jewish refugees from the Soviet Union are assisted following their ordeals in the Soviet Union. both before and during the time of their departures. A refugee center for Soviet Jews in Vienna is not unlike that through which ICEM operates in Dreiskirke. In addition to the service which ICEM performs in this behalf. experts from the ICEM organization have assisted in the acute refugee problem experienced by the Pakistani refugees. Mr. Speaker. the benefits which our Nation derives from the Intergovernmental Committee on European Migration are manifold. Without this multinational organization. the unilateral steps which we would be required to take would be far more expensive and much less productive. Mr. Speaker. several members of the staff of the ICEM prepared a book of cartoons which graphically and humorously described the subject of refugees from the time of the first wanderings of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to the outer space explorations of todays astronauts. In all of the intervening peregrinations of mankind. the resettlement of large numbers of people have occurred. This is a continuing problem in which the whole world has been and must continue to be involved. The Subcommittee on Immigration of the House Judiciary Committee is itself directly concerned with immigration and refugee problems. To the extent that a multinational approach to these two questions can be handledand on a very limited budgetICEM does exceedingly well. Mr. Speaker. I would like to add also that ICEM works closely and effectively with other international organizationsincluding primarily the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees. and other groups. Mr. Speaker. it was an enriching and invaluable experience to attend this memorable anniversary conference of ICEM in Geneva.