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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Assistant Secretary/Spokesman Taken Questions of December 7, 1993 1. HAITI Q: Is it true that a group of Haitian military officers continued to receive training in the U.S. after the coup and well into 1992? If true, what was the justification for doing that? A: THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WOULD HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT TYPE OF TRAINING, AND I REFER YOU TO DOD FOR COMMENT. 2. RUSSIA Q: Can we confirm the AP story about the return of a ring belonging to an American pilot shot down in 1952? What are the significant details of the case? What is Ambassador Toon doing in Moscow? A: YES, A RING BELONGING TO CAPTAIN JOHN R. DUNHAM HAS BEEN RETURNED, AS AMBASSADOR TOON ANNOUNCED TODAY IN MOSCOW. CAPTAIN DUNHAMÕS AIRCRAFT WAS SHOT DOWN ON OCTOBER 7, 1952 OVER THE KURILE ISLANDS. THE RETURN OF THE RING, TOGETHER WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE INCIDENT, REFLECTS VERY TANGIBLY THE NEW LEVEL OF COOPERATION THAT WE NOW ENJOY WITH THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT ON POW/MIA MATTERS. OUR INVESTIGATION INTO THE CASE OF CAPT. DUNHAM WILL CONTINUE BASED ON THE NEW INFORMATION WE HAVE RECEIVED. AMBASSADOR TOON IS CURRENTLY LEADING THE U.S. DELEGATION TO THE 7TH PLENARY SESSION OF THE U.S.-RUSSIA JOINT COMMISSION ON POW/MIAS. THIS SESSION HAS PRODUCED THE FOLLOWING RESULTS: -- WE HAVE REACHED NEW UNDERSTANDINGS ON CLOSER COOPERATION BETWEEN OUR RESEARCH STAFFS. -- WE HAVE RECEIVED RENEWED COMMITMENTS FROM THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING FROM THE MINISTRY OF SECURITY, TO ASSIST FULLY OUR SEARCH FOR ANY INFORMATION IN RUSSIAN ARCHIVES ON MISSING OR UNACCOUNTED AMERICAN SERVICEMEN. -- WE HAVE RECEIVED INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO SEVERAL LONG-STANDING REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION ON CASES DATING FROM THE 1950'S AND 1960'S. MUCH WORK REMAINS AHEAD IN OUR EFFORTS TO PROVIDE THE FULLEST POSSIBLE ACCOUNTING FOR AMERICAN SERVICEMEN, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED CLOSE COOPERATION FROM THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT. (###)