U.S. bill sets dual limits

Press, 13 July 1985, Page 10

U.S. bill sets dual limits

NZPA-Reuter Washington The United States House of Representatives has approved a foreign aid bill for 1986 and 1987 that would crack down on narcotics and terrorism and open a door for increased American activity in Kampuchea, Angola, and Nicaragua. After six months of private negotiations and three days of public debate on controversial amendments, the bill that would authorise SUSI 2.6 billion ($26.5 billion) in each of the next two years was approved by voice vote. It marks the first time since 1981 that House and Senate have passed foreign aid authorisation bills, that set limits for United States policy as well as spending. The House bill would freeze foreign aid spending

at 1985 levels and cut SUS6OO million ($1266 million) from President Ronald Reagan’s request. Israel and Egypt would be exempted from the freeze. Military aid for Israel would be increased SUS4OO million ($844 million) to SUSI.B billion ($3.7 billion), and military aid for Egypt would be boosted SUSI2S million ($263.7 million) to SUSI. 3 billion ($2.7 billion). House action to shift the bill’s over-all emphasis from military aid to economic aid is opposed by the White House and could, along with language restricting arms sales to Jordan, cause Mr Reagan to veto a final bill, some congressmen said. Numerous differences between the House bill and the Senate version will be re-

solved later by congressional negotiators. The House bill includes about SUSI billion ($2.11 billion) for Latin America, most of it for Central America, including SUS 27 million ($56.9 million) in non-military aid to rebels trying to overthrow the leftist Government of Nicaragua. Revived military aid to Guatemala depends on its Government’s progress towards improved human rights. Aid to Bolivia and Peru is tied to curbing narcotics production. The House, like the Senate, voted SUSS million ($10.55 million) in unprecedented aid for non-Commun-ist resistance groups fighting the Vietnamese in Kampuchea and agreed to lift a 10-year ban on aid to rebels fighting Angola’s Marxist

Government. In votes on amendments to the bill, the House agreed to give Mr Reagan authority to suspend foreign aid and to ban airlines flying to countries with airports judged a security risk for Americans. It also approved a total trade embargo on Libya, which Reagan has accused of State terrorism. The House agreed to end military aid to Mozambique. Economic aid would also be halted unless Mr Reagan certifies that the number of Soviet bloc advisers there have been reduced. Mr Reagan sought SUS3.I million ($6.5 million) in military aid and SUSIS million ($31.65 million) in economic aid for Mozambique next year, up from SUSII million ($23.21 million) in 1985. The house also agreed to a process, under which

trade with Ethiopia could be suspended if Mr Reagan finds that its Government is pursuing a policy of deliberately starving its people. The House slashed Mr Reagan’s request for military aid for the Philippines from SUSIOO million ($2ll million) to SUS2S million ($52.75 million) and gave a warning that future aid may be denied if the President, Mr Ferdinand Marcos, does not make significant progress on specific reforms. Concurring with Senate action last month and reflecting an increasing tendency to support anti-Com-munist resistance movements, the House by voice vote decided to allocate SUSIS million ($31.65 million) in humanitarian aid to Afghans fighting the presence of Soviet troops in their country