Speech #1010112897

He led the Red Cross effort to open the first airlift into Biafra. which was the first lifeline to millions of Blafran men. women. and children threatened by starvation. He eventually assumed the duties of Director of Operations of the ICRC. which meant he was involved with every Red Cross Program around the world for over a decade. I personally know of his humanitarian work in Cyprus. in Vietnam during the war. in Central Americatireless efforts on behalf of refugees. political prisoners. and prisoners of warincluding our own POWs in Hanoi during the Vietnam war. But I particularly remember his leadership in trying to break the impasse over the protection and assistance under the Geneva Conventions to Soviet troops captured in Afghanistan by guerrilla forces. When no other agency or person was willing to take leadership in this unpopular task. the ICRC and JeanPierre Hockd did. Finally. in 1985. JeanPierre Hock6 was elected by the General Assembly to be United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In the nearly 4 years. he held that post before resigning last month. JeanPierre fulfilled his mandate to strengthen the organizations work in the field. to reorganize its headquarters staff. and to expand its programs of assistance in behalf of refugees around the world. His work was particularly notable in Africa. where he took the lead in galvanizing international attention to the escalating refugee crisis in southern Africa and the continuing tragedy in the Horn of Africa. He also dealt with the changing character of the Indochinese refugee problem. leading tc last Junes Second International Cc.nference on Indochinese Refugees in Geneva. and the adoption of a comprehensive plan of action that remains a challenge before the international community today. Mr. President. I am pleased to join with my colleagues in expressing our appreciation for the work of JeanPierre Hock6 and through him. to the thousands of his colleagues and fellow officers of the ICRC and the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees who are serving in every corner of the globe.