Reagan to seek Spanish help over Nicaragua

Press, 8 May 1985, Page 10

Reagan to seek Spanish help over Nicaragua

NZPA-AP Madrid The American President, Mr Ronald Reagan, and the Prime Minister, Mr Felipe Gonzalez, held their first round of talks yesterday, two hours after Mr Reagan arrived in the Spanish capital from West Germany on a 41-hour visit. No formal statement was issued after the 45-minute meeting at the sixteenth century El Pardo Palace, but Spanish sources said the two leaders talked about disarmament and the justconcluded economic summit conference the President attended in Bonn.

Mr Gonzalez’s spokesman, Mr Eduardo Sotillos, said the two did not discuss Nicaragua, a subject they would talk about today before a working luncheon at Mr Gonzalez’s residence, Moncloa Palace.

A White House spokesman, Mr Larry Speakes, later said that Mr Reagan planned to ask Mr Gonzalez to intercede with the Nicaraguan Government to arrange a meeting between them, United States envoys and representatives of the Contras — the rebels fighting to overthrow the Sandinist Government. Mr Sotillos said later that the Nicaraguan President, Mr Daniel Ortega Saavedra, had requested permission to make a “technical stopover"

in Madrid next week on his way back to Managua from Eastern Europe. While Mr Reagan and Mr Gonzalez talked, the Secretary of State, Mr George Shultz, and the Foreign Minister, Mr Fernando Moran, met at the Foreign Ministry for two hours, one more than had been scheduled.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mr Maximo Cajal, said Nicaragua was prominent in the discussions, particularly. the United States trade embargo against Nicaragua announced last week by the Reagan Administration. Mr Gonzalez, during his

meeting with Mr Reagan, was accompanied by a Foreign Affairs adviser, Mr Juan Luis Yanez. Mr Reagan was joined by United States national security adviser, Mr Mr Robert McFarlane. Tens of thousands of Spaniards heeded the call of protest organisers on Monday and took to the streets to demonstrate against Mr Reagan’s visit and against Spanish membership in NAT.O.

On Monday, people in several Madrid neighbourhoods, again heeding the call of protest organisers, turned out lights and banged pots and pans together in a 10minute protest that began at 10 p.m. local time. Mr Sotillos said Mr Gonzalez told Mr Reagan that he believed relations between Spain and the United States “should be broadened beyond mere defensive aspects.”

He was referring to the 32-year-old Spanish-Ameri-can bilateral treaty under which the United States leases four military bases in Spain where it maintains 12,000 troops.

Mr Gonzalez has said on other occasions he feels that since Spain is now a member of N.A.T.0., the United States should begin thinking about reducing the number of its troops in Spain.