U.S. Stresses That Israel is Not Responsible for Administration’s Decision to Sell Arms to Iran

The Reagan Administration stressed Tuesday that the United States government, not Israel, is responsible for the Administration’s decision to sell arms to Iran.

“Israel does not make decisions for the U.S. government,” State Department deputy spokesperson Phyllis Oakley said. “We make our own decisions and accept responsibility for our own actions.”

Oakley noted that over the past three days there have been news reports in which members of the Administration appeared to be blaming Israel for the decision to sell arms to Iran in exchange for the release of American hostages in Lebanon and for diverting excess funds from the sale to the Contras.

The White House released last Friday a memorandum dated January 17, 1986, by the then National Security Advisor, John Poindexter, to President Reagan which indicated that Israel promoted U.S. contacts in Iran in an effort to bring about a more moderate government there and suggested selling arms in return for the release of the hostages. The President did not read the memorandum but was briefed orally from it.

The release of the document was followed by reports alleging that Israel pressed the U.S. to continue dealing with Iran despite the reluctance of White House aides.

DENIES U.S. APOLOGIZED TO ISRAEL

Oakley denied reports that Reagan or any other Administration official had apologized to Israel for the attempt to blame U.S. policy on Jerusalem. But she confirmed that Thomas Pickering, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, discussed the “issue” with Premier Yitzhak Shamir on Sunday. She said Pickering did not present Shamir with a letter from Washington, but orally gave the U.S. position that it assumed responsibility for its action.

However, Shamir’s spokesman, Avi Pazner, said in Jerusalem that Pickering assured the Premier that the Administration was not trying “to make Israel a scapegoat for the decisions made by Washington.”

Oakley’s comments came as Yossi Beilin, Director General of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, was conducting two days of talks here with Michael Armacost, Assistant Secretary of State for Political Affairs.

She noted that the talks were part of the periodic discussions between Armacost and the Director General of the Foreign Ministry which began in 1983, although this was Beilin’s first participation since becoming Director General.

The talks covered “the full range of bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest to the U.S. and Israel,” Oakley said.