The United States cautioned Israel today against sending weapons to Christians in Lebanon and declared that it is supporting a French government initiative to half the warfare between Syrian “peace-keeping” forces and Christians in the Beirut area. But State Department spokesman Thomas Reston conceded, under questioning, that the U.S. had no “evidence” or “information” that Israel is supplying weapons to the Christians.
In announcing the U.S. position on the fighting in Lebanon, the State Department spokesman said “The Israelis are in a position to influence some people inside of Lebanon” and “We continue to hope Israel will counsel restraint on groups within Lebanon that have a direct stake” in the situation.
When asked what manner of restraint Israel could apply in the Beirut area, Reston repeated that Israel can “influence some people.” Israel has been helping Christian forces in the enclaves in southern Lebanon adjacent to Israel’s border.
Questioned about supposed Israeli military aid to the Christians, Reston said the U.S. has “no evidence” that Israel is sending American arms to Lebanon and “no information” that Israel is sending “non-American-origin arms” into Lebanon. However, he added, “our policy is for reduction of arms in Lebanon” and “if Israel is supplying arms, it is against our policy.”
The initiative by France, which once governed Lebanon under a League of Nations Mandate, is to obtain a cease fire and bring about a disengagement of Syrian and Christian forces by putting a buffer between them made up of Lebanese government military personnel.
Reston said that Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, who has been meeting with French Foreign Minister Louis de Guiringoud in New York, has been consulting with members of the United Nations Security Council on the situation in Lebanon. He did not say whether the Soviet Union, which supports Syria with weaponry and diplomatically, was engaged in the consultations.
Reminded that the U.S. has been calling for months for an end to the violence in Lebanon and asking for restraint, Reston was asked what makes the U.S. position different at this time. He replied that there are “elements in the French proposal” that are “more specific than in the past,” but did not describe them.
U.S. WELCOMES SAUDI EFFORTS
Reston said the U.S. welcomed the “quiet efforts” of Saudi Arabia to aid in halting the escalation of fighting in Beirut and said that Washington was in consultation with Saudi Arabia on this effort. Saudi Arabia is a backer of the Syrian presence in Lebanon and wields influence through its financial and diplomatic assistance to Syria.
Reston said, however, that he was not in a position to discuss Saudi Arabia’s “motivation.” He said he had no information on Saudi Arabia’s view of Iraq’s call for an Arab summit conference to determine the outcome in Lebanon. It was collective Arab positions that placed Syrian forces in Lebanon originally.
While Reston mentioned only Israel and Syria by name as parties involved directly in Lebanon, he said the U.S. is “urging outside governments” to “exercise maximum restraint” in that country. Asked about President Carter’s proposal three weeks ago for an international conference to end the fighting in Lebanon, Reston said that the Carter “option” was “one of several alternatives of courses of action” and “we are working on a number of different tracks.” He did not say what they were.
Reston said he was not in a position “to detail” what he meant by suggestions for “a fundamental political solution” in Lebanon but indicated that a change in Lebanon’s charter was “one option under consideration.”
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