HAIG SAYS U.S. 'WATCHING' FLOW OF ARMS TO NICARAGUA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000302450045-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 4, 2012
• Sequence Number: 45
• Publication Date: June 3, 1981
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/04: CIA-RDP90-00965R000302450045-2 STA1
ARTICLE AF EARED IML. WAJHLIValUll YUJI
ON PAGE 3 June 1981
,
Haig Says U.S. ,
.`Watching' . Flail) of
? .
Arms to Nicaragua
By John M. Goshko f
Washington Post Staff Writer _ .
Secretary of State Alexander M. Haig Jr. said
yesterday the Reagan administration is "watching
with increasing concern" the levels of sophisticated
weapons being shipped . into Nicaragua. and. "the
.high level of manpower" being assigned to the Ni-
caraguan armed forces.
- "We see .no.threat [to Nicaragua] that justifies in-.
A .....-.....
:creases of this size," Haig said. "We will be watching
:closely :the levels of arms that have arrived and that
iire expected to arrive." , _ 44 ? , ? 4
; Haig,_ answering questions -atti State Department
!meeting for editors and broadcasters from around.
,the country, was asked about a report in yesterday's
;Washington Post saying the Afmted States has re-
ceived intelligence reports that Soviet T55, tanks
'may have been sent secretly into Nicaragua. -
; He ,refused to comment directly on ?the report
4, But he did contend that high levels of arms "of a
:worrisome nature. are continuing to-flow into Nic-
aragua from Cuba. ' ' ' . .
,0 Some of this arms floW, Haig said, continues to be
'diverted to leftist guerrillas fighting the U.S.-backed
:government in neighboring El Salvador. Although he
.:cited the big buildup of Nicaraguan forces bein4 en-
gaged in by the leftist-oriented, ? revolutionary gov-
ernment there, Haig. did'not specify whether any of
:the alleged flow is part ofa long-rumored plan to
iequip the Nicaraguans with Soviet weaponry includ-.
'ing tanks and MIG jet fighters.
.,4. Earlier, howeveridepartment spokesman Dean Fi-
e.scher confirmed that the United States has received
;in - reports that Soviet tanks may have been
ship. , . into Nicaragua and that additional tanks.
in Cuba awaiting delivery. While Fischer said
the reports have not been confirmed, he added that
::the ? resence of such Soviet - : ? Ins would ? ? = : "se-
rious p ? P :ma for .? ,s.. - ?: ? ..erican coun-
ties, - " ' ' - 7-- 7 -' r- - - ?
t: "As Nicaragua adds military equipment to its al-
'ready substantial arsenal, tensions do inevitably in- -
;:crease," Figcher said. "We would consider the pros-
?,;ence of heavy Soviet armor or'aircraft to pose so-
?jous problems for Nicaragua's neighbors. - -
t.,
f, Daniel Ortega, the head of Nicaragua's revolution-
ary junta, has told The Washington Past the reports.
this country intends to obtain Soviet tanks and jets
it,are "totally unfounded." However, the Nicaraguan
t. government, ' which won power in 1979 after a
t. bloody civil war, has made clear 'its intention to.
[(build a powerful military force, and there have been
: reports that the goal is for 50,000 men and women.
i The Nicaraguans already are believed to have
more than 20,000 people on nulitaiy duty or un-
dergoing training. The junta has justifed the buildup
1 on the grounds that Nicaragua must protect itself
against hostile, military-dominated rightist regimes-
I in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala and anti-
'revolutionary Nicaraguan sidles centered in Hondu-I
ras.,.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/04: CIA-RDP90-00965R000302450045-2