U.S. Continuing Talks with Israel on Issue of Cluster Bombs

The State Department disclosed today that the U.S. is “having discussions with the Israeli government with a view to assuring that restrictions on the use of cluster bombs will be observed in the future.” Department spokesman Tom Reston said the matter was discussed Tuesday at a meeting between Israeli Ambassador Simcha Dinitz and Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security, David E. McGiffert.

“I cannot give you details of what was said in these discussions,” Reston said, but “the discussions are continuing through diplomatic channels.” The U.S. confirmed last week that Israel had used cluster bombs, a deadly anti-personnel weapon supplied it by the U.S., during the fighting in south Lebanon last month, possibly in violation of the 1952 agreement governing the use of weapons provided by the U.S. Israel subsequently apologized and said the bombs were used in only two instances, both against military targets.

Asked about reports that Israel may have transferred cluster bombs to Ethiopia during the recent warfare on the African “horn,” Reston said: “The Israeli government has assured us that it has not supplied Ethiopia with U.S.-supplied military equipment of any kind and we have no evidence to contradict what the Israelis told us.”

Reston was also asked what provisions were contained in the Arms Export Control Act to deal with repeated violations of the limits placed on the use of American weapons by a recipient country. “The statute is silent on the matter,” he said, “but obviously repeated violations would be a factor in any judgement made under the law.”

Meanwhile a citizens group of about 1500 from New Jersey came to Capitol Hill today to lobby against the Administration’s proposed sale of F-15 fighter planes to Saudi Arabia. They met with the two New Jersey Senators, Clifford Case (R) and Harrison Williams (D).