U.S. may provide air cover

Press, 19 May 1984, Page 10

U.S. may provide air cover

NZPA-AP Washington The United States, concerned about attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf, is telling Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations it will consider air cover for their ships if they will open their air fields to American warplanes, American officials said yesterday.

But the officials, who insisted on anonymity, said the Gulf nations have not expressed interest in any more American protection. They said it was not a rebuff, since no specific offer has been made by Washington.

The United States had previously sent sophisticated A.W.A.C.S. radar aircraft to help Saudi Arabia monitor its airspace and they have observed both Iranian and Iraqi warplanes in the area of ships that have been attacked, Pentagon officials said. Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador, Prince Bandar, discussed the threat to shipping with the Secretary of State, Mr George Shultz, on Thursday, after the latest attack on a Saudi oil tanker. While Prince Bandar sought the meeting, he did not request American military help, according to officials. One official, speaking anonymously, said it is unlikely a security deal would be arranged unless the threat to Gulf shipping lanes and the Straits of Hormuz got much worse. Larry Speakes, the White House spokesman, said, “While we have had consultations with the Gulf States about security problems over the past several months, there has been no specific United States offer of direct military support, and air cover has not been requested by any of the Gulf

States.” John Hughes, the State Department spokesman, said there was “a heightened degree of concern" about the attacks on oil tankers but that Washington would continue to emphasise diplomatic efforts to end the attacks along with the Iran-Iraq war, which has spawned them. Mr Hughes said if and when a specific request for help is received, President Ronald Reagan would have to approve any air assistance or other help.

Another official said there was reason to hope both Iran and Iraq would stop the attacks. Two Kuwaiti and three Saudi oil tankers have been attacked and damaged in recent weeks, although none was lost. Air cover was discussed within a “range of possibilities” for improving security against attacks on tankers as they carry oil from the Gulf, one official said. Even before the latest attacks on shipping, the official said the Government had sent “a series of missions” to the Gulf to discuss potential threats to the region from Iran. The Vice-President, Mr George Bush, will be in Oman within the next few days on an official visit and the security issue is likely to be raised. The Gulf nations are being told that if they want American protection, they will have to arrange for it in advance by making facilities available. “We are afraid they are assuming a bailout at the last moment.”

Oman has previously given the United States access rights to Omani base facilities, but other nations have not gone along.