NEGOTIATE WITH CAPTORS, HOSTAGES' KIN ASK

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91-00587R000100200089-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 30, 2011
• Sequence Number: 89
• Publication Date: August 1, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/31 :CIA-RDP91-005878000100200089-4
F? ?T!~LE A.PP D
~N PAGE
Negotiate with captors,
hostages' kin ask FIIE O~YLY
By Mary Belcher
THE MM9HMNiTON TIMES
The families of four Americans
abducted in Beirut over the past 17,
months met with administration official
at the White House yesterday, calling' for
direct U.S. negotiations with their rel-
atives' captors.
"We welcome the continuation of quiet
diplomacy, but feel it can be supple-
mented with additional actions;' said
John Jenco, the nephew of the Rev Law-
rence Jenco who was abducted in Beirut
Jan. 8.
"A direct dialogue with the captors
should be attempted if success from
intermediaries is not in the immediate
future;' said Mr. Jenco, speaking to
reporters in a heavy downpour after arr
hour-long meeting with National Secu-
rity Adviser Robert McFarlane.
The United States refuses tomakecon-
cessions to terrorists and that policy
"remains ,firm;' said White House
spokesman Larry Speakes:
"Our refusal to concede to terrorists
does no! mean, however, we are unwilling
to talk;' he said. U.S. officials continue to
be in contact with"numerous individuals
and governments" in the region to free
the hostages, Mr. Speakes said.
"We believe that quiet diplomacy is the
best way to proceed and believe that
detailing our efforts to obtain their
release would be counterproductive:' hel
said.
The seven Americans held hostage ini
Lebanon include Father Jenco, Peter Kil-I
burn, missing since Nov 30, 1984; 'Ibrry!
Anderson, kidnapped March 16; David
Jacobsen, who was seized May 28 as he
walked to his office at the American Unit
varsity Hospital in West Beirut; the Rev
Benjamin Weir', missing since May 8,
1984; William Buckley, kidnapped March
18, 1984; and Thomas Sutherland, seized
June 9.
In addition to Father Jenco's nephew,
members of the Anderson, Jacobson and
Weir families attended the meeting. i
Calling the hostatte situation "anl
American problem which needs a
American solution;' Mr. Jenco said, "W
hope that without compromising th
integrity of the government, the Whit
House can demonstrate some flexibili
as to possible solutions:'
The family members said they war
encouraged by their meeting with Mr
McFarlane and expressed hope th
could speak soon with President Reagan.
"We brought the issue to city hall, anc~
they have listened;' Mr. Jenco said o
behalf of the other hostage family mem~
hers. "We would still like to voice ou
concerns directly to the president him
self as soon as possible." i
The families were happy to have me~
"with such ahigh-level official" as M
McFarlane, he said. The families had
Alarmed to meet with Vice President
Bush instead, but scheduling problems.
prevented it.
The president has not given any reason.
for not meeting with hostage families at
the White House, Mr. Speakes said. Mr.
Reagan, who talked with members of Mr.
Jenco's family on a recent trip to Chi-
cago, met with members of his staff in
the Oval Office throughout the day yes-
terday.
According to Mr. Jenco, yesterday's
meeting with Mr. McFarlane reasurred
the families that efforts were being made
to win the hostages' release.
Even Peggy Say, who has strongly
criticized the administration's efforts to
win the release of her abducted brother,
'Ibrry Anderson, a correspondent for the
Associated Press said she was "very
encouraged" by the White House meet-
ing.
The meeting revealed "there are defi-
nite things being done" to resolve the
hostage situation, said Mrs. Say.
But, she said, "quiet diplomacy has not
gotten results in 500 days, so we we need
supplemental action:' Like Mr. Jenco,
Mrs. Say called for "high-level" adminis-
tration officials to engage in "direct dia-
logue" with her brother's captors.
"We don't want to be seen as enemies
of the administration. We want to work
with them;' she said. "We want to get
seven people home:'
In addition to Mr. McFarlane, State
Department terrorism expert Robert
Oakley and Oliver North, National Secu-
rityCouncil deputy director, met with the
hostage families.
Mr. Jena: said U.S. officials do not
seem to know where the hostages are
being held, and they did not indicate who
the kidnapers might be.
"I don't think at this point it makes
much difference where the seven are;'
Mr. Jenco said. "It's just a matter of get-
ting to the people who are holding them
and negotiating."
STAT
Mr. ~peaxes, commenting on reports
that a single Shiite Moslem family might
hold control of the seven hostages, said
the terrorist group Islamic Jihad has
claimed responsibility for the abduc-
tions.
The New York Times reported yester-
daythat the seven hostages might be held
by a family of Shiite fundamentalists
seeking the release of a relative held in
Kuwait for the 1983 truck bombings of
American and French embassies there.
"We do not know whether the hostages
are all being held together," Mr. Speakes
said.
"We do not rule out the possibility that
the hostages are being held by members
of a clan. But we must note that in Leba-
non, families and politics are often inter-~
twined;' he said.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/31 :CIA-RDP91-005878000100200089-4