Summit hopes boost President

Press, 28 July 1987, Page 10

Summit hopes boost President

GENE GIBBONS

By

NZPA-Reuter Washington

As the Congress’ Irancontra hearings plod towards a conclusion, brightened prospects for a United States-Soviet summit could bolster President Reagan’s efforts to recover from his worst political scandal. Top White House officials are expressing optimism that a third meeting between President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev will take place this year following Gorbachev’s offer last week to accept a United States call for the global elimination of medium-range nuclear missiles.

Asked how this would affect summit prospects, national security adviser Frank Carlucci replied, "They have been enhanced.” If so, that would be good news for President Reagan in more than just diplomatic terms. Under prior United States-Soviet arrangements it is Gorbachev’s turn to come to Washington — and the hoopla that would surround the first

Washington summit since Richard Nixon met Leonid Brezhnev in 1973 would likely shove any remaining repercussions from the Iran scandal far into the background. The investigation into secret United States arms sales to Iran and the diversion of proceeds to Nicaragua’s contra rebels is expected to wind up in the next week or two after televised hearings that have run nearly three months already. Indeed, some analysts believe Gorbachev’s dramatic offer reflected a Soviet conclusion that President Reagan would rebound from the Iran affair in reasonably good political shape, and with enough authority to conclude a major arms reduction accord. That conclusion was encouraged, according to this view, by former National Security Adviser John Poindexter’s testimony that he never told President Reagan about the potentially illegal fund diversion.

While a new Washington ' Post-ABC News poll showed strong public scepticism of the presi-

dent’s claim he was unaware of the entire secret contra aid operation run by Admiral Poindexter and fired White House aide Colonel Oliver North, only one-third of those polled said they would care “a great deal” if President Reagan did know.

The pollsters said that response and others suggested many Americans see the scandal as having only limited importance. President Reagan previously met with Mr Gorbachev in Geneva in 1985 and Reykjavik, Iceland, last year, but was not able to conclude the hoped-for accords on limiting nuclear weapons.

While a third meeting would give President Reagan a political shot-in-the-arm in the twilight of his presidency, major obstacles remain in the way of a so-called Intermediate Nuclear Forces accord that would pave the way for a summit Among them is the Soviet’s demand that 72 United States-controlled warheads for West German Pershing 1A missiles be scrapped as partof an I.N.F. accord. 0

United States officials see this as a Soviet effort to divide the N.A.T.O. alliance and vow the administration will continue to reject it. The officials say they are confident a compromise will be found eventually, clearing the way for a summit Even if these differences are resolved, events in the Gulf could complicate the diplomatic picture, as the mine damage done to the United Statesregistered Kuwaiti tanker Bridgeton on Friday demonstrated.

It might be difficult for Mr Gorbachev to agree to a Washington summit if the United States were engaged in combat with Iran for control of the Gulf shipping lanes. As the manoeuvring over an arms deal and a summit unfolds, President Reagan will be taking other steps to put the Iran-contra scandal behind him.

Official sources say he will respond to the testimony of Admiral Poindexter . and other key Iran-contra players in a televised speech, possibly

on the evening of Sunday, August 8. Buoyed by the magnetic appeal of Colonel North, who made a strong, emotional pitch for the administration’s Central America policy during his stint in the congressional spotlight, President Reagan also intends to push for an enlarged contra aid programme. Admiral Poindexter resigned as national security adviser and Colonel North was fired from the National Security Council staff last November 25 when the contra fund diversion came to light.

White House spokesman, Marlin Fitzwater, says President Reagan will probably seek JUSI3O million to JUSISO million spread over 18 months, to fund the contras for the rest of his term. A third facet of President Reagan’s plan to show he is no lame duck is stepped-up use of his veto power to block- a protectionist trade bill and two spending bills he opposes, ail now wending their way through the Democratic - controlled OHBress.