U.S. might abandon bases—Shultz

Press, 21 February 1986, Page 6

U.S. might abandon bases — Shultz

NZPA-AP Washington £ The Reagan Administration, under pressure from Congress, hinted yesterday that it might abandon two strategic military bases in the Philippines if it decides Ferdinand Marcos has retained power through election fraud and has lost support of the Filipino people.

“We have a big stake there,” the Secretary of State, Mr George Shultz, told the Senate- Budget Committee, referring to Clark Air Base and Subic Bay, the main forward port for the United States Navy’s Pacific fleet.

“But we have a stake in democracy. Let’s put that first, over and above the bases.”

While counselling patience to an increasingly restive Congress — at least pending the return of the special envoy, Philip Habib, from meetings in the Philippines — Mr Shultz said the fraud and violence that marked Mr Marcos’s contested reelection was mostly by the Government in power and only provided fuel for Communist insurgents.

Within 30 minutes the Senate registered its increasing distate for Mr Marcos, who has long enjoyed United States support. In a lop-sided 85-9 vote, it declared the results of the election on February 7 were marked by such widespread fraud that they could not be considered a fair reflection of the will of the people.

The Senate Democratic leader, Mr Robert Byrd,

of West Virginia said before the non-binding vote was taken that he had asked the President, Mr Ronald Reagan, to convey American concerns to Mr Marcos. “The President himself ... should get on the telephone and find some way to make a direct contact with Mr Marcos,” he said. The Senate Majority Leader, Mr Bob Dole (Rep., Kansas),' questioned later replied with a qualified “yes” when asked whether Mr Marcos should share power with Corazon Aquino, whom he claims to have defeated. But he declined to back an immediate cut-off of United States aid. “I would like at least to wait until Mr Habib gets back,” Mr Dole said. “I don’t think Marcos is going to respond to a phone call or a Senate resolution.”

Senator James Sasser (Dem., Tennessee) introduced legislation to block the SUSISO million ($279.03 million) in remaining United States economic and military aid the Philippines is due to receive by September 30. In Manila Mrs Aquino told a group of European ambassadors yesterday she would never give up her claim to the Philippines’ Presidency. A joint statement issued after the 45-minute meeting between Mrs Aquino and eight ambassadors and senior diplomats said she repeated her “determination to vindicate the peoples’ verdict and assume the Presidency at the earliest possible time.”