REAGAN CRITICIZES THE LATIN DEBATE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000505390133-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 9, 2010
• Sequence Number: 133
• Publication Date: April 18, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/09: CIA-RDP90-00552R000505390133-4
z 5
REAGAN CRITICIZES
THE LATIN DEBATE
Contends It Has 'Strayed Too
Far From Reality' and Says
Need for Aid Is Urgent .
By FRANCIS X. CLINES
Sp=al uo rbe /:ew Yo?! Times
WASHINGTON, April r, - Presi-
dent Reagan said today that the debate
on Central America had "strayed too
far from reality" and that more United
States military aid to the area was ur-
gently required. -
iss The -strategic balance of the world" 'Stin Time to Defend Freedom'
at stake, Mr. Reagan said in re-
marks to a group of prominent His- White House officials said the Presi-
.panic Americans at the White House. dent's remarks today were part of his
"Economic assistance, as much as caxffp&ip for the requested S l million
some people on Capitol Hill would like for El Salvador and S21 million for
to think otherwise, will not overcome ; Nicaraguan surge ts.
the military threat," the President "There's still time to defend free-
said. don," Mr. Reagan told the Hispanic
In what appeared to be an attempt to group. "But to do so we can't stand as a
renew prey on the House to ap- house divided against itself. We must
prove his requests for military aid for recognize our common values. We
El Salvador and for Nicaraguan insur- must take a no,aonsense approach to
gene, the President added, "If Central protecting our vital interests."
America is lost, then our own borders The President appeared at one point
will be threatened." to relate the dispute on Central Amer-
"Today," he said, "a faraway totali- ica to his recent calls for less "second-
tarian power is committing enormous guessing" in COOP'ees, which he con-
resource to change the strategic tat. tends can undetmine.the nation's for-
America into a string of anti-Amen- "We face-one of the major challenges
can, Soviet-styled dictatorships."
TDe Pre9dent spent part of the day
meeting with ? Foreign Minister Ber.
nardo Sepolveda Amor of Mexico, who
has said Mr. Reagan's Nicaragua
policy violates international law. Last
Friday in Memco City, the Foreign
Minister called for an end to all armed,
intervention in Nicaragua. A senior Ad- i
ministration official said the meeting
with Mr. Reagan was cordial, with no
discord. _
`Friends Will Lose Freedom'
In the President's remarks at a
White House luncheon meeting of the
National Hispanic Leadership Confer-
ence, an event separate from the visit
of Mexican officials, Mr. Reagan said a
Communist inspired assault was
-aimed at "all of America."
"If we do not have the courage and
the political will to help them counter
this power play, our friends will lose l
their freedom," he said, "and Ameri-
threatenedcan from pole to pole will be
! EW YORE TI1 'S
18 April 1934
Apparently speaking of resistance in
Congress to his policy and his aid re-
quests, Mr. Reagan said: "If we mean
to OPpOSe Communist aggression, then
we cannot throw every possible road-
block in the way of helping our peace-
loving friends defend themselves. We
cannot afford the consequences of pas-
sively'watching guerrillas force Com-
munist dictatorships down the throats
of the people of Central America."
The House declined to act last week
on the President's requests, passed by
the.Republican-controlled Senate, for
more military aid for El Salvador and
for the guerrillas fighting to undermine
the Nicaraguan Government after the
Congressional outcry over reports that
ns carry.
the .United States was supervising the ! - -
mining of. Nicarguan waters. As a re-
sult, Mr. Reagan decided to use emer-
gency finds of up to $32 million for El
Salvador and leave his Nicaraguan re-
quest unmet for now with Congress in
for den
dent told the Hispanic group. " 'Debate
on this issue has strayed too far from
reality."
The meeting with Hispanic Ameri-
carzs gave the President a forum both
for pressing the Democratic-controlled
:'House to act on his requests and for
campaigning for Hispanic support in
his reelection bid. The President made
a point of praising the many Hispanic
,America= who have won medals for
heroism in United States military serv-
~i
ce.
"Their valor kept this country free 11
the President declared, speaking of the
"heavy burden" for freedom that we
America
" -
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/09: CIA-RDP90-00552R000505390133-4