Presidents Conference to Launch Major Effort to Convince Congress to Reject Arms Sale to Saudis

— The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations declared today that it was ready to launch a major effort to convince Congress to reject the Reagan Administration’s proposed multibillion dollar arms sale to Saudi Arabia.

Howard Squadron, chairman of the Presidents Conference, made the statement after more than 30 Conference members met with Secretary of State Alexander Haig and Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger at the State Department. Weinberger stayed for only the first 15 minutes of the meeting but Haig remained through the entire 90-minute session.

Describing the meeting as being held in a “friendly atmosphere, ” Squadron said the two Cabinet members expressed the Administration’s determination to go ahead with the sale of five AWACS reconnaissance planes and enhancement equipment for the 62 F-15 planes the Saudis had previously purchased from the United States. But they did not indicate when the Administration would officially notify Congress of the proposed sale, he said.

Squadron said the Jewish leaders expressed “our concern” on the dangers the sale would have for Israel and that the United States was not receiving anything in return from the Saudis to enhance the peace process in the Middle East. He said this included no promises for “a reduction of hostility toward Israel, a lessening of support for the PLO, ” or a lessening of opposition to the Camp David process.

TACTICAL STEPS OUTLINED

Squadron also said that the President Conference has already devised its arguments and allocated assignments among the 34 members in the Presidents Conference and six observer members. Once the Administration officially informs Congress of the sale, the Jewish leaders will begin visiting Senators and members of the House as well as writing letters and making telephone calls, he said.

“We are quite confident that a resolution of disapproval would be adopted if the matter come to a vote today,” Squadron declared.

Senate Majority leader Howard Baker (R. Tenn.), after visiting Haig yesterday afternoon and President Reagan this morning, said that the situation in Congress on the proposed arms sale was “still to be won or lost.” He said he was inclined to vote for the sale. Baker’s advice on timing is believed to be crucial in the Administration’s calculations on when to send the proposal to Congress.

RATIONALE FOR OPPOSING THE SALE

Squadron said that the Presidents Conference, which he said represented the brood cross-section of American Jewry, was opposed not only to the sale of the AWACS but to the entire package. He said that, as Americans, the Jewish leaders were opposed to the Reagan Administration going back on the promise that former Secretary of Defense Harold Brown made to Congress in 1978, that when the 62 F-15s were sold to the Saudis nothing would be done to give the planes offensive capabilities.

Squadron said the fuel tanks and air-to-air missiles now being proposed for the Saudis do give the F-15s offensive capabilities. “The AWACS simply enhance the capability, ” he said.

The Jewish leader said that it would “make us more comfortable” if the AWACS were kept completely in American hands. He added that it would not be until 1985 that the delivery of the first AWACS will start and Americans will be needed to operate the planes for several years. However, he noted that the Reagan Administration is proposing an “absolute sale” and the planes will eventually be in the hands of the Saudis themselves.

Squadron said that the Administration’s position on the sale, as explained by Haig and Weinberger, is that it is part of the global strategy to contain Communism, particularly in the Middle East with its vital oil fields. He said the Cabinet members said the sale would provide greater links between Saudi Arabia and the United States, make the Saudis more secure, and make it possible for Saudi Arabia to resist external threats.

Squadron charged that the sale of the AWACS could result in another situation like in Iran when sophisticated American weapons fell into the hands of a revolutionary regime. He pointed out that among persons attending the meeting today were two members of the Coalition for Reagan-Bush, Max Fisher and Gordon Zacks. He said they completely supported the position of the other Jewish leaders at the meeting. There have been reports of a split over approaches to the Administration between leading Jewish Republicans and the Presidents Conference.