U.S. Backs Young’s Attack on Israeli Strikes in South Lebanon

Ambassador Andrew Young’s address to the United Nations Security Council today on events in south Lebanon was preceded by a unique comment here by the Carter Administration that Young was speaking with “the full authority of the United States government.” Young unleashed a bitter criticism of Israeli strikes into Lebanon. (See separate story from the UN P. 3.)

State Department spokesman Hodding Carter volunteered that statement to reporters in announcing that Young was making “a full statement on United States policy” which in affect is a restatement of U.S. positions. Carter declared “in case of any doubt,” Young’s “important statement of policy” was “cleared throughout this government.” However, Carter said, under questioning, that special Ambassador Robert Strauss did not participate in this clearance, although he is affected by the “spillover” of the Lebanon situation on Egyptian-Israeli negotiations that Strauss is handling.

Outlining the U.S. policy, spokesman Carter said that the U.S. is “determined to do all it can for an immediate and lasting halt to all acts of violence in southern Lebanon.” He added that all hostilities must cease “by all parties” against innocents in Israel and Lebanon — “by Palestinians, Christian militia, Israeli military and others.”

Carter added that “we are following up” Young’s address with diplomatic steps in which the United States will convey its views to “all parties” including Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Jordan. Carter said the PLO and the Christian militia, supported by Israel, will also receive these U.S. views. He said Arab governments will convey them to the PLO. He would not specify how the Christians would be informed.

Asked what he expects the Security Council to do since its resolutions and UN force “haven’t worked apparently,” Carter replied that “the best hope for peace in the region is full implementation” of the Security Council resolution that brought Israel’s withdrawal of forces from southern Lebanon and established a UN force (UNIFIL) that was intended to prevent armed Palestinian Arabs from entering southern Lebanon.

EVRON MEETS WITH VANCE

Earlier today, Israeli envoy Ephraim Evron met for 35 minutes with Secretary of State Cyrus Vance at the State Department. Later Evron said the purpose of the meeting, which he said he requested, was to help bring up to date developments in the area since Vance had returned to his office today from a vacation. The State Department said southern Lebanon was not discussed at the Vance-Evron meeting.

Spokesman Carter had no information to offer on reports on Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan and Defense Minister Ezer Weizman coming to Washington or about a possible meeting between Dayan, Vance and a top Egyptian official. Weizman is coming in about two weeks to reportedly discuss reports of the Soviet government delivering ultra-sophisticated tanks to Syria.