REAGAN GAINS NEW SUPPORT ON NICARAGUA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000504130055-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 9, 2012
• Sequence Number: 55
• Publication Date: May 2, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/09 :CIA-RDP90-009658000504130055-2~AT
ReaganGains
New Support
on Nicaragua
they may switch from opposing rsistent Administration efforts to of the aena~e ~
funding for the rebels, known as ~ =_ pe 'tee, said they want to see more
contras, to supporting a limited ~ ,overthrow t'tie government of Nic- overt ressure against Nicara ua
program of aid, leading Adminis- i . azagua, brings us closer to active to s i t e A ministration's olicv,
tration officials to predict that they ! ~ militazy involvement,"' Sen. Alan !, away rom ns ear ier reliance on
could win a new vote on the issue i .Cranston (D-Calif.) warned. "The ''~, t e o ici y covert pressure o t e
later this month. i ? -ace contras.
course President Reagan is pursu- . ?Nunn said he believes the trade
Biden `Reconsidering' - mg will lead inevitably to a call for sanctions can succeed only if they
"I am reconsidering," Sen. Jo- ~, ; U.S. militazy action." are also adopted by other countries.
seph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.), a '' "We are.slamining the door on 'Although the United States has
prominent Senate liberal, said .' the possibility, of peace," said Sen. been Nicaragua's most important
through a spokesman Wednesday. t Mark 0. Hatfield (R-Ore.)> chair- trading partner, only about 16 io of
Sen. Jim Sasser (D=Tenn.) and man of the Senate Appropriations its total trade was with the United
Rep. Bill Richardson (D-N.M_) also !Committee and a longtime oppo_ States. ^ r _-_.
....,,.,. ss:..;~t~
against a an mstas and in favor helps."
0 overt sancUOns e t e trade 'I gut several Senate liberals de-
em az o. ~ cried the move. "An economic
everal Democrats have said I embargo now, coming on top of
r
e
re e s in a bruisin con ressional bazgo merely a gesture. "I don't ` gress again for aid to the contras.
Measures to renew the aid are
alt e a wee c a o. t e mood on think it means much," he said. ' I
already in preparation in of e
apitol ill has swan visibl ;don't think it hurts; I don't think it b h th
LOS ANui=LES I.M~~
2 May , 1985
Motley, who announced Tuesda~? (D-Conn.) and Rep. Michael D.
that he will leave the Administra- Barnes (D-Md.) said they had no
lion, and other spokesmen took comment on the President's action.
pains to point out that many Deno- Biden and other undecided mem-
crats had said they would back a hers of Congress have said they aze
trade embargo. "By supporting concerned about the Sandinistas'
sanctions. a lot of these guys are alliance with the Soviet Union,
signing on to the basic thrust of our highlighted this week by Nicaza-
't
policy, which is that you can
guan President Daniel Ortega's
x-
t
e
move the Sandinistas withou
visit to Moscow. They have also
erring pressure on them," said a reported concern over reports that
senior State Department official the Sandinistas are attempting to
By DOYLE McMANUS, who ref used to be quoted by name. ship azms across their northern
Times Staf f Writer 'Time to Get Tough' border to leftist insurgents in
WASHINGTON -President Bens. Sam Nunn of Georgia and neighboring Honduras and by the
Lloyd Bentsen of Texas, conserva- Managua government's failure to
Reagan's decision to impose a trade make significant conciliatory ges-
embazgo on Nicaragua won only five Democrats who have support- lures toward the United States
mixed reviews in Congress on ed funding for the contras, aP- after Congress rejected Reagan's
Wednesday, but there were signs plauded the economic sanctions request for aid to the contras.
that a new majority was forming in and called for more such pressure,
support of the Administration's as did Senate Majority Leader Bob White House spokesman Larry
basic policy of pressure on .the Dole (R-Kan.). "I think it's time to Speakes, announcing the sanctions
leftist Sandinista regime. get tough and stay tough," Dole in Bonn, where Reagan is attending
Since Rea an lost his re uest for said an economic summit meeting, said
newea covert ai to icara uan Biden said he considers the em- the President intends to ask Con-
that more than a dozen members of
the House have indicated privately
that now they are undecided. Ad-
ministration-backed measures that
would have given the contras S14
million in non-military aid Passed
the Senate and failed by only two
votes in the House last week..
"My personal opinion is that we
are getting: there," Langhorne A
Motley, assistant secretary of state
for inter-American affairs, said in
response to a question at a State
Department briefing about a possi-
ble shift in Congress. "It's a contin-
uousprocess." -
~ and an Administration otticiai Baia
policies. "We're driving (Nicara- said there appears to ur ~~~~.~
,gua) into the permanent embrace chance of other countries joining
'
the effort.
?