President, Shultz contradict each other

Press, 3 October 1985, Page 10

President, Shultz contradict each other

NZPA-Reuter Washington The President of the United States, Mr Ronald Reagan, and his Secretary of State, Mr George Shultz, appear to be at odds over the Israeli raid on the P.L.O. headquarters in Tunisia: Mr Reagan endorsed the attack yesterday and Mr Shultz condemned it.

Mr Reagan said yesterday that he believed the Israelis had a right to retaliate against what the White House called terrorist attacks and had chosen the right target. But Mr Shultz, speaking to Ministers from the six Gulf Co-Operation Council nations at the United Nations, said that there was no justification for the raid. A senior State Depart-

ment official, said that there was no split in the Administration. But he was unable to reconcile Mr Shultz’s remarks with Mr Reagan’s.

Asked at an impromptu White House news conference if the Israelis had a right to retaliate, Mr Reagan replied, “Anyone has, so long as they can pick out the people who are responsible.” Asked if he thought Israel had chosen the proper targets, he replied: “Yes, I’ve always had great faith in their Intelligence capabilities.”

Mr Shultz, just a year ago, said that the United States itself should consider responding to acts of terrorism by active prevention,

pre-emption, and retaliation. But yesterday he said, “We need to be clear in our opposition to the acts of violence from whatever quarter they come, and without respect to what is the presumed rationale for them.

“We certainly deplore acts of violence in the region, including this act of violence.”

Earlier in the day, a White House spokesman, Larry Speakes, called the Israeli raid legitimate retaliation.

“From our preliminary reports, this, in our judgment, apears to be retaliation against a terrorist attack and is a legitimate response and an expression of self defence,” he said.