Softer stance on Panama

Press, 30 April 1988, Page 10

Softer stance on Panama

NZPA-Reuter Washington

The United States, taking a more flexible stance in its drive to oust the Panamanian dictator, Manuel Antonio Noriega, says it wants to drive him from office but not necessarily into exile. | , “Our policy is that General Noriega must go, which means leave power.” a White House spokesman, Marlin Fitzwater, told reporters. i “We have said we prefer to see him leave Panama but the policyi issue

is leave power.” United States officials previously said that General Noriega, who has been in i power struggle with Panama’s Opposition and the Reagan Administration since February when he; was indicted in Florida on drug trafficking charges, had to go to some faraway nation after he quit as Panama's military’ ruler. Spain and Israel were among nations mentioned as possible havens for General Noriega, who was

thought likely to try to run the Panamanian Government from behind the scenes if he remained in his strategic Central American nation or a nearby country. Mr Fitzwater told reporters that while there was no change in America's basic policy, which led President Reagan last month to impose sanctions on Panama aimed at weakening the general’s grip on power, the; administration was willing to listen to the general's plans and ideas.