LUGAR BACKS SHULTZ' S PURGE OF CONSERVATIVES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000403850032-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 16, 2010
• Sequence Number: 32
• Publication Date: December 21, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/16: CIA-RDP90-00552R000403850032-8
WASHINGTON TIMES
December 1984
By Roger Fontaine
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Lugar backs Shultz's
purge of conservatives
Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., the
incoming chief of the Senate For-
eign Relations Committee, threw
his weight yesterday behind the
changes at the State Department
being made by Secretary of State
George P. Shultz; characterizing
them as "non-ideological?'
"I have confidence in the
changes he's making;' Sen. Lugar
said.
Sen. Lugar's comments came as
controversy escalated over
whether Mr. Shultz had undertaken
a mission to clean house of the
staunch conservatives he found at
the department when he replaced
Alexander Haig in 1982. Many of
those being replaced were personal
choices of the White House staff.
As that struggle continues,
rumors of more removals and
replacements circulated yesterday
while senior State Department offi-
cials also insisted that the
housecleaning was "non-
ideological."
Supporting that view, in addition
to Sen. Lugar, was Majority Leader
Howard Baker of Tennessee. Both
Republicans talked with Mr. Shultz,*,
about the changes yesterday.
"I think Shultz is consolidating".:
his position as the foreign policy, i
spokesman for the president:' Sen.;
Baker said. He added that the effort;
appeared to be successful.
"There is an awful lot of stuff in:
the mill," commented one State:
Department official who asked to'
remain anonymous.
One common consequence the;
changes appear to have in common; i
is to put Mr. Shultz more firmly in.
control of the government's foreign; a
policy establishriient.
The bulk of the reported changes:
so far have been in the Western;
Hemisphere. From 12 to 15 moves;
are being planned in the next few;
months. In Central America, the;
U.S. ambassadors to Costa Rica, El:,
Salvador, and Honduras are to be
removed. All will be replaced by:
foreign service officers.
In South America, according to.
State Department sources, new
ambassadors soon will be chosen:
for Bolivia, Chile and Colombia. In;
the coming months, Paraguay, Uru-?
guay and the Dominican Republic:
I are. slated for ambassadorial
changes.
But the situation remains fluid,
and what seemed definite may yet
be reversed. For example, late yes-
terday, rumors circulated that the
decision to replace the politically
appointed ambassador to Colombia,
Lewis Tambs, had been reversed
and that he has been asked to stay.
The Washington Times could not
confirm that change, however, but
one State Department source said it
might be a product of growing
White House resentment over how
the announcements were handled.
Meanwhile, further rumors cir-
culated that another politically
appointed ambassador - John
Gavin in Mexico - is to be replaced
by the special envoy to Central
America, Harry Shlaudeman.
Yet other reports involve Gen.
PauLGoiman head of the Southern
Command ..headquarters in
Panama, and one of the principal
architects of the Reagan adminis-
tration's regional policy. One
administration source was certain
that 'Gen. Gorman would. be-
replaced in a few months, but other
well placed sources dispute that.
He and other individuals insist
that while all the removals may not
be political appointees, and that
others are due for rotation, the one
consistent pattern is the removal of
those who have taken a hard line
with the Sandinista regime and
have been strongly supportive of
the Nicaraguan resistance forces
known as "Contras"
Some opposed to the changes
believe the issue is settled, but oth-
ers are more optimistic that the
tide can be turned. All agree, how-
ever, that the chances for a signifi-
cant roll-back depend on former i
National Security Adviser William
P. Clark playing a major role.
Thomas D. Brandt also contri-
buted to this article.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/16: CIA-RDP90-00552R000403850032-8