U.S. ENVOY TO THE VATICAN QUITS; REPRIMANDED ON LIBYAN DEALINGS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000302300011-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 2, 2012
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: May 21, 1986
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

ST Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/02 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000302300011-5
V
rPICALEGEPEMP NEW YORK TIMES
21 May 1986
U.S. Envoy to the Vatican Quits;
Reprimanded on Libyan Dealings
By JEF
Special to The
WASHINGTON, May 20 ? The
United States Ambassador to the Vati-
can, whose unauthorized dealings with
Libya had caused concern within the
Administration, has resigned, the State
Department announced today.
The department gave no explanation
and few details about the resignation of
the envoy,. William A. Wilson, other
than that the California businessman,
one of Mr. Reagan's closest and most
trusted friends, wanted to return to pri-
vate life. .
The department spokesman, Charles
E. Redman, also said Mr. Reagan had
expressed his "deep appreciation to
Ambassador Wilson for his productive
work during the course of which full
diplomatic relations were established
between the United States and the Holy
See." Mr. Redman did not say if a suc-
cessor had been chosen.
But Administration officials who de-
dined to be identified said that for
some time senior White House and
F GERTH
New York Times
State Department officials had voiced
concerns to the President and others
about Mr. Wilson's conduct and had
sought his resignation.
In Rome, a spokesman for the Am-
bassador said that Mr. Wilson would
have no comment this evening and that
he would hold a news conference
became Ambassador in 1984, after the
United States established full diploi
matic relations with the Holy See.
From 1981 to 1984 Mr. Wilson was ths
President's personal envoy to the Vati-
can, an unofficial post that gave him
access to crassified intelligence infor-
mation but also allowed him to con-
tinue his . rivate business dealin . As
envoy, Mr. Wilson exchanged ews
with Pope John Paul II and other offi-
cials on international and hintanitar-
ian issues.
Dealings With Libya
The chief concern among Unitet1
States intelligence and State Depart-
ment officials involved Mr. Wilson'
dealings with Libya, a country that
President Reagan hes gecused of hav-
ing a central role in terrorism. The con-
cern began as early as 1982 when
American officials discovered Mr. Wil-
son was meeting with a top Libyan offi-
cial at a Rome hotel, one of several
dealings between Mr. Wilson , and
Libyan officials, accordi4 to Adminis-
tration officials.
? In addition sometime
Wilson became Am , United
States intelligence ? intercepted a
telex between Mr. 's envoy of-
ace in Rome and Li ? , oil
dealings. a one offi - who
SSW a CODY of the It was not cleas
from the telex were the principals
in the oil deal, official said. Mr. Wil-
son, a wealthy and business-
man, has long involved in oft deal-
hip, according to public records.
Around the first of this year Mr. Wil-
son made an unauthorized trip to Libya
to see Col. Muammar el-Qaddaft, the
' Libyan leader. Shortly afterward Mr,
Qaddaft told reporters the meeting con-
cerned economic or commercial mat-
ters. Administration officials in Wash-
ington were unaware of the trip at the
time.
On Jan. 13, after President Reagan
prohibited travel to Libya, the Prime
Minister of Malta, Karmenu Mifsud
Bonnici, relayed information from Mr.
Wilson to Libyan officials to try to de-
fuse the situation in the Mediterra-
nean, according to a recent article in
The Malta Times newspaper.
Another area of concern about Mr.
Wilson among Administration officials
involved his dealings with Chile. Ac-
cording to former business associates
and public records, Mr: Wilson and his
family have been involved in business
, dealings with the Chilean Government
since 1981. At the same time, according
to these sources and Administration of-
ficials, Mr. Wilson has advocated in
private discussions with President
Reagan his support for President Au-
gusto Pinochet of Chile.
One Administration official said that
Mr. Wilson's efforts to gain more Ad-
ministration support for General Pin?.
chet had produced no discernible effect
on American policy. But the same offi-
cial added that Mr. Wilson's dealings
with the Libyans had undercut Admin.-
istration efforts to isolate Colonel Qad-
dafi. Secretary of State George . P.
Shultz rebuked. Mr. Wilson for the trip
to Libya, but also praised his work at
the Vatican: ?
. A White House spokesmen did not re-
turn a phone call seeking, comment
about Mr. Wilson.
While Ur. Wilson's conduct upset
some Administration officials, Mr.
Reagan has -always supported him.
Their association dates back at least to
the IOM's, although 'Mr. Reagan has
..rarely spoken publicly of their friend-
ship.
? In 1972, when Mr. Reagan as Geyer'-
. nor of California appointed Mr. Winton
to the Board of Regrets of the Univer-
sitit of California, he said he was "a
manait outstanding integrity and abil-
ity who throughout his career has
demonstrated that he is vitally con-
cerned with the problems of our soci-
ety."
In 1988, when a group of businessmen
and advisers took control over Mr.
Reitgall'S finances, Mr. Wilson was
made one of the .three trustees.
In 1984, The Los Angeles Times dis-
closed that Mr. Wilson had intentioned
in two criminal matters, drawing an
admonition from the State Depart-
ment. According to State Department
officials Mr. Wilson has received simil-
tar warnings from the 'department on
other matters, including his private
business dealings.
In addition, some White House aides,
including the former White House
Counsel, Fred F. Fielding, have ex-
pressed their concern to President
Reagan over Mr. Wilson's conduct, ac-
cording to current and former Admin-
istration officials.
Mr. Fielding, who left his job in
March, declined to comment today on
any discussions he might have had with
Mr. Reagan.
The Vatican's role in international
and humanitarian issues offers diplo-
mats unusual opportunities, since the
post entails dealings with a "country"
that is really a Church. But the Vati-
can's power and influence, and that of
800 million Roman Catholics around
the world, makes the job at once sensi-
tive and potentially important. The
post was created in January of 1984,
when President Reagan decided to es-
tablish diplomatic relations with the
Vatican.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/02 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000302300011-5
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