Reagan says Sandinistas threaten Central America

Press, 25 January 1988, Page 6

Reagan says Sandinistas threaten Central America

NZPA-Reuter Washington President Reagan said yesterday that more United States aid to the contra rebels fighting the Nicaraguan Government was vital to prevent the establishment of a Soviet base in Central America that could threaten Mexico. “At stake here is whether Nicaragua becomes a Soviet base camp ,on the mainland of this hemisphere. Imagine if the Sandinista vision of a communist Central America is realised and Mexico is threatened,” Mr Reagan said in his weekly radio address.

“Some say if you are for aid to the freedom fighters (contras) in Nicaragua, you . are against the peace process. Phooey. Even the Sandinistas admit they are talking peace and democracy because of the freedom fighters,” he said. “Yet to date, the Sandinistas haven’t gone through with one concession to democratise they cannot easily reverse once the pressure of the freedom fighters is off.”

He said he would ask Congress to approve more aid for the contras in his State of the Union address tomorrow night, but he

did not say how much money he would seek.

Votes on contra aid are scheduled in Congress on February 3 and 4. Democratic leaders say they expect a close vote. A contra leader, Adolfo Calero, told Reuters in an interview in Costa Rica yesterday that he believed Congress was nearing agreement on a shortterm accord that would increase rebel aid from 1987 levels. Calero said he and other contra leaders would travel to Washington today to lobby for the aid, which he predicted would include SUSSO

million to be disbursed over four and a half months.

The Indiana Congressman, Lee Hamilton, responding to Mr Reagan for the Democrats, said renewed aid to the contras would only mean more war in Central America and failure of the regional peace process.

“A vote for more contra aid is a vote for more war, more repression, less democracy and more Soviet aid. A vote for more contra aid also kills the peace process,” Mr Hamilton said.