HAIG WARNS 'EXTERNAL POWERS'

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000404490019-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 22, 2010
• Sequence Number: 19
• Publication Date: October 8, 1981
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/22 : CIA-RDP90-00552R000404490019-2
ON PAGE , 8 October 1981
ARTICLE APPEARED
_taig Mme External .'erg
'External Powers'
Warned by Haig
I
Haig also. alluded to Libyan activ-
ities near Egypt that had prompted
Sadat last week to dispatch Vice--
. President Hosni Mubarak on an 'ur-
gent mission to Washington.,
Haig said. these -included Libyan j
m certain military units.
At this point, he said, there is "no
direct link" and.."no evidence" sug-
gesting external involvement in the
killing of Sadat.
Nonetheless, Haig went out of his
way to volunteer, "We would view
with great concern at this juncture
any efforts by external powers to
manipulate the tragic events of the
last 24 hours." Under questioning, he
said he did not. intend any "unto-
ward" alarm;- and 'indicated that he
had Libya. in mind primarily,
Haig. condemned' "astonishingly
active and prolific and contentious
and outrageous and escalatory' rhet-
oric from Libya Tuesday, evidently
referring to Tripoli radio appeals for
a revolt by the Egyptian military
and masses:. .
By Don Oberdorfer
WA3h1ngWn Pmts att Writer
Secretary. of State Alexander M.
Haig Jr., in the Reagan administra-
tion's first substantive response to
the assassination of Egyptian Pres-
ident Anwar Sadat, warned."external
powers" yesterday against trying. to
exploit the situation.
Haig spoke at- a news conference
called to announce a U.S. policy of
continued support for Egypt and the.
Egyptian-Israeli peace- process.
While decrying the loss of "this gi-
gantic personality at our side," Haig
spoke with optimism for continuity
and. stability in Cairo..
Citing intelligence. ort~ here,
anil-Tin Egypt; Haig attributed the
assasstnattou to a group of funda-
.menta fists, religious fanatics, cen-
jerec not exclusively but
THE WASHINGTON POST
"invasion of Chad, some it
along the border of Sudan
dente of activities within S.
these activities are being rev
Official sources said a nt
Sudan is being prepared on a top-priority basis, in
'keeping with Sadat's recommendation through
Mubarak late last week.
Haig may make the plan known to Sudanese
President, Jaafar Nimeri this weekend in Cairo,
where both men are . expected to be attending fu-.
neral services for Sadat.
Haig has scrapped an earlier proposal -thnt--he
fly from Egypt to Sudan with the new progr
but is likely to send an aide there instead.-
Sudan, Egypt's southern neighbor, complained
in recent weeks of Libyan air raids on villages
near Sudan's western border with .Chad.. U.S.
sources said these may have been in retaliation for
the action of Sudan-based forces fighting against
Libyan-backed elements in the civil war in Chad,
In addition, U.S. 'intelligencecently inter-
ce ted information about a Libyan lot to kill i
imeri, sources said. - .
Public statements and private reports from.
Egypt that Sadat's assassination did not involve
outside powers has eased the concern of American
officials about immediate military clashes between
Egypt and Libya.
I
Washington officials considered them a likely
result of any belief in Cairo that,Libya was behind
the killing. Should such clashes occur, they haver
the potential of involving Soviet support of Libya
and American support of Egypt.
Haig and ether U.S. officials discouraged sug
gestions that a special message had been-sent
,.
Moscow about Sadat's death.
Haig said, however, that the Soviets are aware
that the United States considers its relationship
with Egypt "absolutely vital to our interests in th
region and that we would treat it accordingly." ,.
Haig's statements of continued resolve to sup
port Egypt and the Egyptian-Israeli peace process
followed a White House announcement that Pres-
ident Reagan has sent cables along these lines to
the leaders - of -U.S.. allies and friendly Middle+
Eastern states
Haig, in. his news conference, called for "a fresh
determination" to complete the peacemaking work
of the assassinated Sadat. He reiteratedU.S.-sup-
port for the. Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, under
which most of the Sinai is scheduled to be-'re!
turned to Egypt next April, calling it "a las
achievement in the interests of both parties and o
the entire *" _
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/22: CIA-RDP90-00552R000404490019-2