U.S. 6th Fleet sails away

Press, 1 February 1986, Page 10

U.S. 6th Fleet sails away

NZPA-Reuter Washington

The United States 6th Fleet yesterday ended a week of naval manoeuvres north of Libya without directly challenging Tripoli’s territorial claim to the Gulf of Sirte, American military officials said. Nearly two dozen warships, including the air-craft-carriers Coral Sea and Saratoga, had resumed normal operations in the Mediterranean after a week-long war of nerves between the two countries, they said.

The manoeuvres, which began last week and ended at 1 p.m. (NZT), were staged after guerrilla attacks on the Rome and Vienna airports on December 27 last year, which killed 20 people, including five Americans. The United States accused the Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Gadaffi, of supporting terrorist acts. Colonel Gadaffi denied that and warned Washington against any attack on

Libya. Libya claims jurisdiction over the Gulf of Sirte,

a claim which Washington sharply disputes. Two United States Navy Tomcat jets shot down two Libyan Sukhoi 22 jets over the gulf in a missile battle in 1981. Despite predictions in news reports, during the last week, military officials said that during the manoeuvres neither United States ships nor aircraft had passed across a “line of ’ death” drawn by Colonel Gadaffi north of the Gulf of Sirte. ■' "We will be in and around the area for some

time and if we plan td do any other naval exercises in international waters in that area we will give She proper notices and do -it,’’, said the Defence -Secretary, Mr Caspar - -Weinberger.. >». American Intelligence officials' said yesterday that , the? Soviet Union had cautioned Libya against firing new SAMS- longrange anti-aircraft missiles at American military jets- : “Apparently Moscow does not want any shooting,” said one of "the officials.; f