WHITE HOUSE SEEN IGNORING REQUEST FOR NICARAGUA PAPERS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000605040055-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 4, 2012
• Sequence Number: 55
• Publication Date: September 22, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STATE _
~ Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/04 :CIA-RDP90-009658000605040055-0
ASSOCIATED PRESS
22 September 1985
WHITE HOUSE SEEN IGNORING REQUEST FOR NICARAGUA PAPERS
BY ROBERT PARRY
WASHINGTON
The White House has ignored a congressional request for documents about
contacts this past year between a military adviser to the National Seca rity
Council and Nicaraguan rebels, according to government officials.
Robert C. McFarlane, President Reagan's national-security adviser, has
assured Congress in writing that his N5G staff abided by a year-old ban on
"directly or indirectly" aiding the rebels in their war against Nicaragua`s
leftist government.
Rut in responding to a request for relevant documents from Rep. Michael
Barnes, D-Md,, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs.subcommitta_e on Latin
America, McFarlane included none, according to Capitol Hill and administration
officials who insisted on anonymity.
McFarlane refused to answer questions from The Associated Press about the
unreleased documents, An NSC aide said, "it is a matter of correspondence
between McFarlane and Rep. Barnes." Another administration official said Barnes
"was informed as fully a5 we thought necessary,"
lJhite House officials have cited the principle of executive privilege in
interviews about the request, but those familiar with the letter to Barnes said
McFarlane did not specifically invoke it in his response. They said.the
McFarlane simply ignored Barnes' request for documents,
Executive privilege is the assertion by presidents that they have the right
to keep confidential their internal documents and records of deliberation. 4lhile
Congress normally respects the concept, it has challenged it in the past, most
notably in the 997Qs over the Watergate scandal
Barnes declined to disCUSS McFarlane`s classified response, but said through,
a spokesman that "the committee is going to continue to pE.~rsue this matter,"
1n an Aug. 16 letter to McFarlane, Barnes requested "memoranda and any other
documents, pertaining to any contact between Lt, Col, (Oliver i_.) North and
!Nicaraguan rebel leaders" since October. '
North, a deputy NSC director far political-military affairs, has beers
described by administration officials and sources close to the rebels as a key,
strategist far Reagan's Central America policies,
McFarlane acknowledges that North. kept in touch with_the rebels during the
ban, but denies he gave tactical military advice. Retired Army Mai. Gen. John 4C.
Singlaub has said North advised him on his private fund-raising efforts on
behalf of the rebels before the congressional ban took effect last October.
Although it is unclear what documents North has relating to the rebels, one
source said North has compiled his papers, that are related to those actions,
Tn a three-page "confidential" letter to Barnes Last week, McFarlane
reiteraked that NSC contacts with the rebels focused on political, not military,
ContMwd
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/04 :CIA-RDP90-009658000605040055-0
matters and that no actions occurred that violated the congressional ban on
"supporting, directly ar indirectly, military or paramilitary operations in
Nicaragua," according to congressional sources.
McFarlane-has also been asked to pro~ride phone logs; notes and tapes to the
House Intelligence Committee on North's contacts with a group believed involved
in raising funds for. the rebels, a committee mv_mber said. The member said
McFarlane was non-committal about providing that information.
"This could be building up into some kind of a confrontation," said the
member who asked not to be indentified.
-The member said McFarlane told the committee that North had made eight trips
to Central America to meet with political leaders. in the region, including
Nicaraguan rebels,
.Earlier this month, one White House official, speaking anonymously, said the
NSC intended "to comply with Barnes' request to supply a report ,,, with as full
information as we can. Exactly where we'll draw the line I can`t say."
He said that while the White House would try to cooperate with Congress, it
would not waive its right of "executive privilege" to withhold some internal
documents if that were necessary.
The National Security Council consists of top administration officials and
provides advice to the president on defense and foreign policy issues. The White
House agency has become increasingly active on Nicaragua, since Congress cut off
-CIA covert aid to the rebels last year.
In a Sept.. 5 letter to the House Intelligence Gominittee, McFarlane said the
N5C-staff continued to advise the rebels on political strategy after the October
ban, but limited military advice to a recommendation last spring to suspend
attacks during a politically sensitive period.
"Our emphasis on a political rather than a military solution to the situation
was as close as we ever came to influencing the military aspect of their
Struggle," McFarlane said.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/04 :CIA-RDP90-009658000605040055-0