Reagan aide denies reports of friction

Press, 6 December 1985, Page 6

Reagan aide denies reports of friction

NZPA-Reuter Washington Navy Vice-Admiral John Poindexter is Ronald Reagan’s new National Security Adviser after his chief, Robert McFarlane, resigned — which, the White House said had not been caused by friction. Mr McFarlane, aged 48, resigned yesterday after two years as the President’s top foreign policy aide. It has been widely reported that he was a casualty of a White House inside powerplay. Messrs McFarlane and Reagan denied that he was a victim of Administration in-fighting. “That’s nonsense,” Mr McFarlane replied when asked about reports that he had found it intolerable to work with White House ■chief of staff, Donald Regan, who has a reputation for being an authoritarian.

It has long been an open

secret in Washington that Messrs McFarlane and Regan did not get along. The President also denied that there was any friction. “You have all been misinformed about that,” he told reporters. Mr Reagan said that Mr

McFarlane was returning to private life because he wanted to spend more time with his family after 30 years in public service. Mr McFarlane, a former Marine and Vietnam combat veteran, was said to resent meddling by Mr Regan, who is also a former Marine, in foreign policy areas in which he had no expertise. In naming Admiral Poindexter, Mr Reagan said, “I am acknowledging the very important contribution he has already made in formulation of our foreign policy.” The bespectacled, heftily built naval officer had served as Mr McFarlane’s deputy since October, 1983. Admiral Poindexter was credited with co-ordinating the dramatic interception over file Mediterranean by United States Navy planes in October of an Egyptian jetliner carrying the alleged hijackers of the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro.