Hearings easy on Haig

Press, 12 January 1981, Page 8

Hearings easy on Haig

NZPA-Reuter Washington

The r United States- Secretary of State-designate, 1 Alexander Haig, has breezed through his first two days 1 of questioning- by Congress, ■denying any complicity in < Watergate scandal events and promising to bring new ■ firmness and clarity to United States foreign policy. Mr Haig’s interrogation at i the Senate Foreign Relations - Committee confirmation, hearing proved much milder ; than expected. However, after a day of debate the committee has- decided to seek .. information on 100 i hours of Watergate tapes whose release Richard Nixon is opposing. ; t The committee ..will. V<?te on Mr Haig’s, nomination before Mr Reagan takes office on January-sQ.’ .'■? ~/ Democrats, still- unable to o b t a i n Vi-Goverriment-held (tapes and documents on Mr 'Haig’s Nixon . White ■ House jr ole, did little .t 0... challenge ithe defence Mr ' Haig’".made |of Kis record. ! He said his role 'as President Richard Nixon’s, chief of staff had been thoroughly investigated when impeach? ment charges were, being pressed against Mr. Nixon, and added “none of '.these investigations have 'found any culpability on my part”'-’ During six hours ; of testi-. mbny, Mr Haig wasVTeft largely-free~to spell out his

foreign-policy views, which centred on the need to meet the threat of Soviet military might. The .former N.A.T.O. military commander made clear that, apart from the President, he intended to be the new Administration’s only foreign-policy spokesman. . Mr H a ig called for a consistent, reliable, and balanced United; States foreign policy to meet the challenge of what he . described as a global power?: reversal. He urged better co-ordination of policies among the “free nations’’ and firmly supported the “linkage” concept under which; Soviet conduct in one area affects the whole scope, of East-West relations. “Today the threat of Soviet ■ military intervention colours attempts to achieve international ■ civility. Unchecked the growth of Soviet military power must eventually paralyse Western policy altogether.” (.Mr Haig implicitly criticised Mr Carter’s handling of world., affairs, sgying.-that the United tbrided ; .to apply? Western standards ■ to .emerging: States and to ; ignore, vast differences - : in ’ culture/ political deyel- ’ opmerit arid economic vitality. _ ' ‘ 1 , ■: The problems: were < made more . intractable >. the : transformation of ' Soviet military power into a force

able to support an imperial foreign policy. However, he - also cautioned against a policy towards China that would provoke the Soviet Union. “The challenge of the decade facing us is the necessity bn the one hand to conduct our policies in such a way that the People’s Republic. of China recognises that there is some value in a normalisation ’of relationships with us, that we are reliable,. but. on the other hand not permit this formalisation process to result in a situation that our European friends describe as poking sticks in the polar bear’s cage. “And clearly this is a balancing act of some importance. ---■. - • “Our relationships’ ..with China should be based on our strategic motivations for that relationship and. we should not get ourselves into a triangle relationship which constantly serves as an irritant to improving East-West relationships.”.;/ He added: “I think that it’s,?- awfully important that we recognise that the situation fundamentally is one of-strategy. It is a strategic relationship, that is the underlying .’ motivation for the normalisation of trelationships with the People's Republic of , China. It S does hot mean in any respect that we have a convergence of interests and values.” ■