Reagan speech seen as call to arms

Press, 11 May 1984, Page 6

Reagan speech seen as call to arms

NZPA-Reuter Washington

President Ronald Reagan has appealed for national support for his policy of resisting what he calls an attempt by the Soviet Union and its allies to spread communism in Central America.

In a speech clearly aimed at winning his battle with Congress for increased military aid to El Salvador, Mr Reagan went on national television yesterday to get public backing for his programme for the region.

He said that the issue before Congress was, “our effort to promote democracy and economic wellbeing in the face of Cuban and Nicaraguan aggression aided and abetted by the Soviet Union — it is definitely not about plans to send American troops into combat in Central America.”

The senate has approved JUS62 million in emergency military aid, but action in the House of Representatives has been delayed by the Speaker, Mr Thomas

O’Neill, Leader of the Opposition Democrats who control the chamber. After the President’s address, Mr O’Neill said that Mr Reagan, “gave us a call to arms in Central America. What we wanted was a call for peace.”

Mr Reagan’s speech, which came as the moderate, Jose Napoleon Duarte, was claiming victory in the Presidential election in El Salvador, said that the elec-

tions, and others there, had showed the Salvadorean people wanted democracy and deserved aid.

Referring to Congressional cuts in his requests for military aid 2 Mr Reagan said, “We have provided just enough aid to avoid outright disaster but not enough to resolve the crisis, so El Salvador is being left to slowly bleed to death.” Mr Reagan initially sought SUS 93 million in emergency aid and wants to spend about SUS24O million on arms aid to El Salvador in the financial year ending on September 30. After the House refused to act last month, he reached into a special contingency fund for SUS 32 million, hoping that Congress would approve more cash after El Salvador elected a new President.

Key senators have said that Congress would not approve Mr Reagan’s request for ?US2I million more for the United Statesbacked rebels fighting Nicaragua’s Leftist Sandinist Government.