U.S. SAYS PORT MINING HAS CEASED

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000807600018-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 23, 2012
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: April 12, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

6
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP90-00965R000807600018-5
ARTICLE APPZARED
ON FAGEj
U.S. Says
Poit Mini
has leased
Hill Votes Oppose
Covert Support of
Nicaragua Rebels
By Don Oberdorfer
and Bob Woodward
Washington PoetStaf! Wnten
The Reagan administration
sought to save its covert operations
against the Nicaraguan government
by telling members of Congress yes-
terday that mines are no longer
being laid in Nicaraguan harbors.
But there were increasing signs that
Congress will refuse to provide more
money for CIA anti_Sandinista op-
erations.
If additional funds are not ap-
roved ouickly% according jo admin.
iatr&Iion -
to gtgSt its support of "contra" guer.
rillas fighting the Nicaraguan_go_v-
-ernment. Laws, bly drafted by
Congress to control CIA covert A-
erations there rule out use of the
usual continency accounts set up to
d! with erne encaes.
"If there is no money soon we've
got to get out of there, and that is
g gto be very verb difficult," said
an administration source familiar
with the thinkin of CIA Another source said that more
than 9,000 U.S.-supported guerrillas
are reported inside Nicaragua and
will have to begin making their way
out around the end of this month if
financial support ends. -
Despite administration explana-
tions, dissatisfied lawmakers took
new votes yesterday opposing the
minelaying and the administration's
broader program of secretly financ-
ing and directing the "contras."
Deputy Secretary of State Ken-
neth W. Dam, briefing the House
Foreign Affairs Committee in a
dosed session, is reported to have
WASHINGTON POST
12 April 1984
said that the administration is not
directly or indirectly sowing new ex-
plosive devices in Nicaraguan waters.
Committee members said Dam
did not say the mining would not be
resumed. And an administration of-
ficial said the executive branch has
not decided that question.
Administration and congressional
sources U _ t e sowin of sev-
eral hundred advanced acoustical
nines wr CIA-'assistance and di-
rection had been completed seve
weeks ago and that these mines will
.remain active in Nicaraguan harbors
untilytne deca in several months.
Several well-informed members of
Congre.9_s,~redicted that,itr~}~g ~y,
,unlikely that lay_ing~{~n~n_ e~ll_bE
resumed becacause_of strongl adverse
congressional reaction and that the
House is unlikelytoaprove ad n.
ration regnests for more mom
for CIA support of thcguerriUas.
House Foreign Affairs Committee
-Chairman Dante B. Fascell (D-Fla.),
;expressing a widespread sentiment
on Capitol Hill about the adminis-
tration's performance, said, "They've got
both-feet in their mouth, and they're biting
down very hard."
In a flurry of developments, Congress
dealt blow after blow to the administration's
Central America policies:
? After hearing Dam's explanation, the
House Foreign Affairs Committee voted 31 1
to 3 for a non-binding sense-of-Congress res-
olution forbidding the use of U.S. funds to
"plan, direct, execute or support the mining
of the territorial waters of Nicaragua."
An identical resolution was adopted by an
84-to-12 vote in the Senate Tuesday. The
full House is expected to pass the anti-min.
ing resolution today.
? The House intelligence committee voted
to delete all funds for supporting rebel forces
around Nicaragua from the fiscal year 1985
Intelligence Aut nz-al Q-n Bijl_A Republican
effort to include the reportedly more than
$40 million was defeated, 7 to 4.
*,The Senate Foreign Relations Commit-
tee reported out an $11.1 billion foreign aid
bill for fiscal year 1985 without providing for
aid to El Salvador in its war against insur-
gent
Capitol Hill storm over the mining of Ni-
caraguan harbors "has given Congress a
smoke screen behind which to hide and a
perfect excuse for not coming to the aid of El
Salvador."
Administration officials said President
Reagan is likely to decide before the end of
this week whether, to bypass Congress and
continue military aid to El Salvador through
a special emergency funding mechanism. An-
other option would be to seek congressional
permission to transfer money scheduled to
go to another country.
The problem of congressional support for
the government of El Salvador and the anti-
Sandinista rebels had been compounded,
officials said, by a series of events in which
Reagan tried to-blame Congress for under.
cutting U.S. foreign policy in Lebanon and
Central America. This accusation was one of,
the president's themes last week at a news
conference, a foreign policy speech and his
weekly radio broadcast.
"How the hell do you ask the Democratic
leadership to come to your aid on matters
where you need.their support after you kick
them like this?" one administration strategist
asked.
For the moment, the battle centered on
covert operations. against Nicaragua an on
CIA Director William J. asev, who was re-
portedl_ determined "to fight hike he
every conceivable, le mate wa ' to wrnwin
congressional support for continuing e
Senate Minority Leader Robert C Byrd
(D-W.Va.) charged that Casey had violated
tie law use "we were not told" . e ut . e -
mining operations in jcaraguan waters
Byrd said he will introduce legislation to re-
quire that Casey an 19 other to s.
tration officials be confirm v e Senate a
secon time if Reagan eelected-'-
In an unusual action, the CIA issued a
public statement several hours after Byrd
spoke, saying that it "strictly adheres" to re-
quirements "to kee a pro riate congression.
al committees v an curren m orm ."
It is "untrue" that theZ FA as vio a tese
ired~ staves t e agh envy said -A`CtA shource
said, "The on thin more we could have
none is install a to etZ wn there in tTie
Hate and let them see the dailbles."
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP90-00965R000807600018-5