Airlift study — paper

Press, 19 March 1984, Page 10

Airlift study — paper

NZPA-Reuter New York The United States and Egypt are considering an emergency airlift of military equipment to Sudan as a result of the bombing attack on Omdurman, “The New York Times” reports. The newspaper, quoting senior American officials, said that the Reagan Administration was certain that the raid had been made by Libya. Sudan has alleged that a Libyan long-range bomber made the attack. Sudan has asked the United States for military help several times, and “The New York Times” said that it was receiving priority consideration in Washington. The State Department, the Pentagon, and the Central Intelligence Agency were developing recommendations over the week-end to present to the National Security Council, it said. The main request, the “Times” said, was for advanced air defence equipment that could be set up quickly. It would be shipped either from the United States or from Egypt, which has pledged to help Sudan repel an aggressor. In February last year the United States sent four airborne warning and control system jets to Egypt and moved the aircraft-carrier Nimitz closer to the Libyan coast after learning of a Libyan plot to support a coup attempt in Sudan.

The “Times” said that an American official had indicated that although Washington did not wish to ignore Libyan aggression, it also did not want to become embroiled in a dispute stemming from long-stand-ing political, ethnic, and religious strife in Sudan.