Carter lias given ‘furious rebuke' to U.N. envoy

Press, 20 July 1979, Page 5

Carter lias given ‘furious rebuke' to U.N. envoy

NZPA Washington i President Jimmy Carter; furiously rebuked the Arrteri-1 can envoy at the United) Nations. Andrew Young, at! Tuesday's Cabinet meeting for having repeatedly embar- 1 rassed his Administration, I according to one of those) present at the meeting. The tongue-lashing given to Mr Young was the only lengthy reprimand, though Mr Carter briefly criticised at least two others present, it has been reported. The Cabinet meeting during which all members offered Mr Carter their resignations, was also highlighted by what sources called "a tirade” against the “Washington mentality” that does not understand what "the real America is all about” and against the Washington press corps. Mr Carter was reported to have vowed never again to hold a press conference in Washington, where his words are recorded and interpreted — and, according to the President, twisted — by reporters who are permanent residents of the capital. Jody Powell, the White House Press Secretary, denied that the President had given Young a tongue-lash-ing although he acknowledged that Mr Carter had mentioned a couple of Mr Young’s more controversial statements.

Mr Powell also denied a report that Mr Carter had angrily told the Cabinet that he would not hold any more news conferences in Washington. The lengthy attack on Mr Young did not appear to be premeditated, according to reports.

! It came after Mr Youny attempted to say something. IHe was interrupted by the (President, who criticised a catalogue of instances in which he felt the United Nations Ambassador had embarrassed him with injudicious public statements. Among statements that have caused widespread critticism of Mr Young were his charge in 1977 that Britain was the most racist country in history, that Americans are "paranoid about a few communists.” in Africa and that Arab hatred of Jews reminded him of the hatred of the Ku Klux Klan for blacks. More recently, Mr Young has said that there were “hundreds and perhaps even thousands" of political prisoners in the United States (a charge he later withdrew) and that the presence of Cuban troops in Angola lent “stability” to that African nation. He has also made remarks favourable to the Palestine Liberation Orgamsation that offended American Jewish leaders. Mr Carter abruptly halted the reprimand after several minutes, apparently feeling he had gone too far. according to the reports. He then expressed gratitude for some of the things Mr Young has done, stating in particular that there were many nations in the world that were closer to the United States today than they had ever been because of Mr Young’s efforts. The source said there was no indication that Mr Car* ter’s tirade meant he was about to fire his United Nations Ambassador. It was seen rather as a manifestation of the President's new get-tough image.