EXCERPTS FROM ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT TO THE SOCIETY OF NEWSPAPER EDITORS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000101020079-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 28, 2010
• Sequence Number: 79
• Publication Date: April 11, 1980
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

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Approved For Release 2010/06/28: CIA-RDP90-00552R000101020079-3
_ _
THE NEW YORK TIMES, FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 1980
Excerpts From Address by President
To the Society of Newspaper Editors]
WASHINGTON, April 10? Follow-
ing are excerpts front today's address
by President Carter to the American
Society of Newspaper Editors conven-
tion, as transcribed by The New York
Times though the facilities of ABC
News:
I would like to discuss with you today
some of the most urgent imperatives of
American foreign policy, with special
emphasis in one particular area of the
world. t
Its important that we take a hard,
clear look together, not at some simple
world either of universal good will or of
universal hostility, but the complex,
changing and sometimes dangerous
world that really exists.
It's not one world, but many. It's no?
longer a world that is structured and
controlled by competition among co-
lonial powers. It's a more complicated
world where national, religious, and
ethnit assertions is fragmenting are
fragmenting ? old boundaries and old
alignments. ? -
Nations Ask Us for LeadeAltip
It's a world of conflicting ideologies,
of unequal wealth and of uneven re-
sourced. It's a world in which the ca.
petity for destructive' violence is at
imca alarmingly dispersed to every sin-
gle Small terrorist band and awe-
somely concentrated in the nuclear ar-
senals of the superpowers.
In many languages and out of many
unfamiliar cultures, other peoples con-
stantly ask America for a response to
myriad and often conflicting concerns.
Nations ask us for leadership. But at
the sante time, they demand their own
independence of action.
They ask us for aid. But they reject
any interference.
They ask for understanding. Yet they '
often decline to understand us in re-
turn.
Some ask for protection, but are
wary of the obligations of alliance.
A Challenge to U.S. Unity
Others ask for firmness and certain-
ty. But at the same time, they demand
flexibility reqiiired by the pace of
change and the subtlety of events.
The world asks, with impatience, for
all these things at once, but asks kr
them today, not tomorrow. .
Nowhere do we face the challenges I
have just described more directly than
we do in Iran. No single situation so ag-
gravates the American people, so tests
our maturity, So tries our patience, so
challenges our unity as d* the contin-
ued captivity of American hostages in
the Teheran embassy.
No, ether single event seems se'
clearly to mirror the disorder of our
limes. This disregard for diplomatic
propriety and for international law is a
special threat to the small- nation, the
,weak nation, the nation without eco-
nomic or military or political power or
influence: And it also comprises a part
of the competing pressures on a great
and a powerful nation like ours. This
crisis calls on us to act with courage
and also with wisdom that will both
produce results and preserve life.
I'm deeply proud of the steady
strength that has been demonstrated in
America in dealing with the irresponsi-
ble Iranian authorities who've been un-
willing to act or unable to carry out
their frequent, solemn commitments.
The leaders of the Iranian Government
lack the cohesion and the resolve to
?
Carter Declines to Rule Out Force:
To Get Hostages' Freedom in Iran
Conthmed Rens Page Al ,
lona claim that Could only damage our
oWii nation's prestige."
"I have no apology at all to make for
our country or for the Administration
which I head," he said. '
Mr. Carter, in his talk, took no note of
threats by the Iranian Islamic militants
in Control of the American hostages to kill
them if the United States used military
force against Iran. Today, one militant
threatened to kill them if Iraq invaded
? - Possibility of Further Steps ,
,
But the President kept 'open the posst-
biiitYthet the United States plight go be-
Yond the economic and political steps an-
noiinced on Monday. "America will con-
tinue the careful and considered 'exercise
of its power," he said in his speech. "We
will pursue every, and I repeat, every
legal use of that power to bring our people
home, fitV 4..n4
followed,
ecific, but he said
It would be "ill-advised" spell
out any port Of detail: and :exact time
schedule, or exactly what options are
available to tis."
But he added that under international
law, "since we are an Aggrieved nation,
caused by not Only the action of terrorists
but also having thesterrorista' actions
Condoned by and even supported by the
Government, the breadth of the right that
we have to take action to redressthis
grievance is quite extensive."
Appealing to Iranian authorities' to take
action to free the hostages before other
measures beyond the, economic sanctions
and breaking of relations are taken, Mr.
Carter said, "in the interests of the peo-
ple Of Iran and of their possible future as
a unified and peeCefta nation living in
freedom, it is imperative that the Iranian
Government resolve this crisis."
bring order t. their own chaotic land or
to decide on a basis for ending this ille-
gal detention of hostages, which has
created international crisis.
For long months, ours has been a re-
straint of strength, despite outrageous
provocation. I do not regret that re-
straint, which was designed to protect
American lives and to explore with Ira-
nian Government officials and with
United Nations officials and with
mediators working with us a way to re-
solve this crisis peacefully.
But it hes become necessary ? be,
cause Iran would not act in accordance
with international law and with their
own interests ? for us to act again. The
steps I've taken this week to end diplo-
matic relations and to impose sanc-
tions are firm and substantive, and we
hope that they will be persuasive.
Legal Use of Power Vowed
America will continue the careful
and considered exercise of its power.
We will pursue every and I repeat?
every legal use of that power to bring
our people home, free and safe.
But the hard, sad reality is that a
small number of zealots engaged in a
power struggle within Iran are using
the innocent American hostages for
their own advancement, with serious
adverse consequences to all Iranian
people.
In the interests of the people of Iran
and of their possible future as a unified
and peaceful nation living in freedom,
it is imperative that the Iranian Gov-
ernment resolve this crisis.
With a return of rationality, interna-
tional lawlessness need not be Iran's
fate. Bankruptcy ? political as well as
moral ?need not be Iran's future. ,
If interference from outside is a
threat, the threat does not come from
the United States.
In a rine?tInn POk.
was asked to be more s'
Iran is further Isolated from the rest of '
the 'World," he said. "Every day that the
American Embassy 'remains a prison
pushes Iran further into lawlessness,
down and down the spiral of disorder."
Powell Warns Militants
At the White House, Jody Powell, the
spokesman, said today that the militants
must have "better sense" than to kill any
American hostages.
Referring to the militant's linking Iraq
to the hostages, Mr. Powell said; "they
should well understand if they kill any of
our people, a border spat with Iraq will be
one of the least of their problems."
Mr. Carter, in a comment on the atti-
tude of the United States' allies, criticized
those nations that "ask us for leaderShrp
but at the sante time they demand their
own independence of action." He said
some nations "ask for protection but are
wary of the obligations of
He said that up to now, "the support
has been on occasion effective', on other
occasions, we have been disappointed."
Mr.',$4,rter:confirnied that the, ,United
'States had asked its *live to carry eut a
-ban On exports, except fbod and:Meill-
chie, to Iran, as the United States did on
Monday and to withdraw diplomats from
;rah, even including breaking of rela-
tions
, , -
'I cannot tell you what those allies and
other friends of ours might actually do,'
he said, "But we are putting as much
Proper effort as Possible to induce the
antes to act strongly and in a concerted
way, hopefully to break the present dead:
lock and to resolve the Crisis." =
Kissinger also expressed unhappi-
ness with the reaction of the allies. "The
Administration has been rightly disap-
pointed in the conduct of tmany of our
allies, in particular the Europeans," he
said. It is indeed dismaying that the in-
dustrial countries that are more threat-
ened than we by, the turmoil in the Per-
sian Gulf are reluctant to accept the risks
of a, forward policy against the Soviet
Every day that the c is cont nues U on.
ris
President Carter in Washington yesterday as he addressed the American
are being wiped out. More than 800,000 vital point in our policy. America and
people have fled the country. Terror Americans are not motivated by relent-
tactics, including the use of chemical less hostility, by a desire for indis-
weapons, are the trademark of the criminate confrontation or a return to
ruthless attempt to crush Moslem the cold war.
resistance and to install a Soviet form Berlin Olympics Is Recalled
of peace ? a peace of brutal, armed
suppression. But for America simply to accept
Soviet occupation and domination o
A Need for Unshitkable Resolution
Afg,hanistan as an accomplished fact
Earlier this year; 103 other members would be a cynical signal to the world
of the United Nations joined us in con- that could only encourage further ag-
Intersection of Historic Trends
The challenge in that area of the
world as in some others ? comes- ,
from the intersection of two historic ?
trends:, One is the rising demand for ,
development and for self-determina-
tion which is felt ? and deeply felt --
throughout. what we call the third
world. The United States responds with
sympathy to that demand,. ,
The other trend is Soviet eipansien-
ism ? which we are determined to op-
pose.
The reality of the world today is that
Moscow exploits unrest not to ad-
dress a discontent that underlies that
unrest, not to overcome the inequalities
that give rise to unrest, but to expand
its own dominion and to satisfy its im-
perial objectives.
In Afghanistan, the Soviet Union has
'revealed for the world the hypocrisy of
its courtship of the third world. It has
shown that it will not be deterred by
principle or decency, or by interne-
tionallaw, or by world public opinion,
but by the opposition of freedom-loving
and; patriotic Afghanis. And it has
made this known in a, region which is at
once political 'volatile and economi-
cally crucial.
An Enormous Military Buildup
?
'4--The subjugation of Afghanistan
resents the first direct Intrtision of
Soviet armed forces beyond the bor-
ders of the Warsaw Pact nations since
the Second World War. '
The explosiveness of this region, its
great natural wealth, and the Soviet
willingness to use the armed forces
that have been developed during the
Kremlin's enormous military buildup
in the lest 15 years are what combine
to Make the invasion of Afghanistan so
unsettling to the future of international
peace.
' We Must not forget, and our allies in
other nations must not forget, that
today at this moment ? everyday
the Soviet Union is violating human
' standards of decency and violating
human rights in the grossest kind of
way. Hundreds of Afghan freedom
fighters are dying every week, some in
brutal mass executions. Entire villages
dernnin the Soviet ghanistan and demanding the immedi- danger to world rieace. It's America's
- g e invasion of A!- gression, further tension, and further
ate withdrawal of the invading forces. responsibility to register, and register
Soviet citizens have never been in- ip,concrete terms, our condemnation of
formed of this United Nations action. the Soviet invasion? for as long as that
Thie unprecedented condemnation was ?. invasion continues.
significant, but? because of the princl- It's extremely important that we not
- Pie at stake, because of the nation's Ira- in any way condone Soviet aggression.
' portance to Western security, becauSg We must recall the experience of 1936,
of the savagery of the Soviet assault the year of the Berlin Olympic Games.
which continues to now, and because of , They were used to inflate the prestige
? the Soviet Union's use of its own troops of an ambitious dictator, Adolf Hitler,
directly in such a conflict ? it's imper- ' to show Germany's totalitarian
atiVe that we continue to meet the chat- strength to the world in the sports
lenge of the invasion with calm and Un- arena as it was being used to cow the
shakable resolution. world on the banks of the Rhine.
The measures 'that I've ordered are The parallel with the site and timing
designed to enhance peace. They in-
clude the embargo on further grain
of the 1980 Olympics is striking. Let me
call your attention to one compelling
sales, tightened controls on high tech- similarity between the Nazi view of the
nab& trade, limitations of fishing in 1936 Olympics as a propaganda victory
United States waters, strengthening of and the official Soviet view of the 1980
our naval presence in the Indian Ocean,
intensification of our development of Summer Games. I'd like to read to You
passage from this year's edition of
rapid-deployment, forces and our ca- the "Handbook for Party Militants"
pacity to deploy them and to use them, < iasiled in Moscow for Soviet Commu-
and our offer to assist states in the re-
nist.Party activists, and I quote:
gion to maintain their own security:
These are necessary steps on acourse '.' Quotation From Soviet Handbook
, .
? -' , with certainty the -
; We Cannot know wi -Certain e the sele"Otiod of the cities where the
;
motivations of the'Soviel Moire into At- Olympic Games take place. oTheng thdecie-
ghaniatart.-- whether Afghanistan is sion to award honor of idi
the purpose or the prelude. Regardless Olympic Games to the capital of the
, of its motives, there can be no doubt world's first socialist state is convinc-
-that the Soviet invasion poses an in- ing testimony of the general recogni-
, creased threat to the independence of tion of the historic importance and cot.-
: natiOns to
o vita
n the rel rce
e resources
stoanthd o tau
e to
rEFtness of the foreign policy course of
access
our country, and of the enormous serv-
sea i ice of the Soviet Union in the struggle
But r interest in peace and stabil- for peace."
ity in the region, goes far beyond eari. Let me repeat a part of that: ,
nomics. We cannot wish away the fact "The decision to award the honor of
that conflict and tension in the region holding the Olympic Games to the capi-
could endanger the broader peace. And tal of the world's first socialist state is
if the invasion of Afghanistan does in-. convincing testimony of the general
deed then
ndofwor thapeatcoternminogf years, and recognition of the historic importance
be
and correctness of the foreign policy
? Americans must accept the truth that course of our country, and of the enor-
wmous services of the Soviet Union in the
,cult
timea!ocurhactlouenrsg
challenging
verya bdy iff- re-1 struggle for peace."
sponding firmly, we intend to halt ag- A few weeks ago, I met with Ameri
gression where it takes place and to -
can athleted in the White House. I ex-
deter it elsewhere. ' , . ' . , plained the Soviet stake in the Olym-
Let me underline for you this most Pics and ' the Morel and political rea-
WhiChWe must and we will persist:-au
.akiEk ideological struggle between
Challenging Times May Be Ahead East and West is directly involved in ,
Approved For Release 2010/06/28: CIA-RDP90-00552R000101020079-3
The New York Times/ Teresa Male
Society of Newspaper Editors
sons why the United States will not
send a team to the Moscow Games.
I understand the sacrifice that has
been asked from these men and women
for the sake of the security of their
country and their world, The Soviet
leaders certainly understand it. But for
our not sending a team to Moscow ?
this is far more than a symbolic ges-
ture. It's a direct repudiation ? in the
phrase of their propaganda handbook
? of the "correctness" of their foreign
policy.
The United States does not wish to be
represented in a host country that is in-
vading and subjugating another nation
? in direct violation of human decency
and international law. If legal actions
are necessary to enforce the decision
not to send a team to Moscow, then I
will take those legal actions.
All of these decisions do require sac-
rifice, and I've acted to assure that the
burdens of those sacrifices are shared
as equally as possible among all
Americans. The American people have
demonstrated that they are willing to
bear their share of the burden. But it is
also vital that the burden of sacrifice be
shared among our allies and a/piing
other nations.
Neither we nor our allies want to de-
stroy the framework of East-West rela-
tions that has yielded concrete benefits
for so many people. But, ultimately, if
we continue to seek the benefit of
detente while ignoring the necessity for
deterrence, we would lose the advan-
tages of both.
Neutral, Nonaligned Afghanistan
It is essential that our intentions be
absolutely clear. The measures we
have taken against the ?Sovit Union
'since the invasion will remain in effect
until there ie total withdrawal of Soviet
troops from Afghanistan. Then, and
only then, we would be prepared to join
with Afghanistan and her neighbors in
a guarantee of the true neutrality and
noninterference in Afghanistan's inter-
nal affairs. We support the restoration
of a neutral, nonaligned Afghanistan,
with a government that would be re-
sponsive to the needs and the wishes of
the people of that country.
Although the Soviets have talked
about the withdrawal -of their troops,
they have actually shown no interest in
Such proposals.
There are no signs at thie time of a
Soviet As a matter of fact, 'within this
last week, we have proof that the Sovi-
ets are moving additional troop units
across the border into Afghanistan. We
must be prepared to hold our course,
and to impose the cost of aggression for
as long as this is necessary.,