Assistance for Afghan Refugees in Pakistan Announcement of U.S. Measures.

President Carter announced today that the United States is making a new pledge of $5.3 million for immediate assistance to the growing number of Afghan refugees fleeing into Pakistan because of Soviet aggression in Afghanistan. This latest U.S. contribution consists of $5 million in emergency refugee funds for the Afghan relief program of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and $300,000 in grant aid for voluntary agency efforts.

The $5 million contribution to the UNHCR will include an immediate cash contribution of $3 million, plus the shipment of $2 million more in relief supplies. As a first step the United States is shipping more than 40,000 heavy blankets to Pakistan. The cost, including air freight, is more than $500,000.

This new U.S. pledge is in response to the worldwide appeal issued by the UNHCR for a total of $55 million ($25 million in food and $30 million in cash) to help care for a projected refugee population of 500,000 over the next year—a number which may well increase as more Afghan people flee their occupied land.

The United States has already made an initial contribution to the UNHCR, through the U.N. World Food program, of more than 17,000 metric tons of food commodities, largely wheat, valued at $6.1 million. In addition, the United States will allocate a minimum of $10 million from the pending supplemental appropriation for P.L. 480 (Food for Peace), on which the President hopes the Congress will shortly complete action.

Together, these will provide more than $16 million for more than 50,000 tons of food, including wheat, vegetable oil, and dried milk. With today's new pledge, the U.S. contribution will total more than $21 million, nearly 40 percent of the U.N. appeal.

We are considering still other humanitarian steps we can take to help UNHCR and the Government of Pakistan care for these unfortunate Afghan people who have been forced to flee their homes and now suffer from cold and hunger because of the brutal Soviet invasion and occupation of their homeland. More help is needed, and we call on all other humanitarian-minded countries to join this effort.

The President's Coordinator for Refugee Affairs, Victor H. Palmieri, also announced today that he is sending his deputy, Frank E. Loy, and two staff members of a factfinding mission to Pakistan for a firsthand look at relief operations. Dr. Marie Griffin of the Center for Disease Control will accompany them to survey the medical needs of the refugees. Loy and his delegation will report their findings to President Carter and Secretary of State Vance on their return in 2 weeks.