Weinberger: Israel Has Invited U.S. to Inspect Soviet Arms Captured in Lebanese War

Israel has invited the United States to inspect Soviet weapons captured during the Lebanese fighting, according to an interview with Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger in the current issue of the Long Island Jewish World.

Weinberger, in what is believed to be the first exclusive interview he has granted a Jewish newspaper, also made these points: PLO leader Yasir Arafat’s meetings with world leaders do not have “much effect one way or the other.”; the United States has an “unshakable commitment” to maintain not only Israel’s security but also “its military edge.”; the Pentagon is “very pleased” with the performance of American equipment in Israeli hands in the Lebanese operation.

“It is very important to separate the Palestine problem from the PLO and Arafat,” and while the PLO chieftain “is attempting to act as spokesman for that whole group, I don’t know to what extent he has a valid claim to that,” Weinberger said. He was interviewed in the Pentagon by Naomi Lippman, editor of the Jewish World, and Stewart Ain, contributing editor.

The Defense Secretary also told his interviewers that it was a “totally wrong perception” that he is the Administration leader least sympathetic to Israel, adding: “Any perception that I am opposed to Israel is totally false.”

Weinberger was asked if he had “been able to learn from the Israelis all the information they have learned about the Soviet weapons” captured in Lebanon. He replied: “We haven’t in the sense that we have in the Falklands because that conflict is over and we are getting a total exchange of information there. We hope to have very much the same thing.”

He said Defense Minister Ariel Sharon “has indicated to me very, very recently that we would be welcome to send teams over and examine some of the equipment under terms to be worked out over there. We think that would be a useful thing to do and we think it would be helpful to all of us because after each of these conflicts or battle tests of this equipment, it is very important to analyze pretty clearly what worked and what didn’t work and how effective the tactics as well as the weapons are and things like that. So we hope to have that opportunity and so far we’ve had some encouraging first signs.”

SAYS PLO’S MILITARY STRENGTH IS BROKEN

Weinberger, who recently visited the Middle East, including Israel, described the destruction in Beirut as “unbelievable” but added that “the surprising thing is that there is a great deal of damage that’s never been fixed up or cleaned up from the 1973-74 war.”

He said the PLO’s military strength “has been broken” because “they don’t have their weapons with them” and “they have been dispersed.” He added that he did not see the PLO and Egypt moving closer together and that “I don’t think there’s any deep personal friendship between King Hussein and Arafat.”

Asked about Jordanian King Hussein’s statement that he would never negotiate with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, Weinberger replied:

“I think that we have to look at the final results rather than statements. The Syrians said they would never take in the PLO, for example, yet there are a very large number of them up there now …. But there is a tremendously strong feeling, even among such basically moderate people such as King Hussein, that they have to express publicly their opposition.”

Weinberger also told his interviewers that “we have an unshakable commitment to Israel, to maintain Israel’s security, its military edge, and we have more than fulfilled that. And I have no slight suggestion of any change in that.”

Asked about the 75 F-16 Jet fighter-bombers that are being held up by the U.S. for shipment to Israel, the Secretary of Defense replied: “That is a matter that is simply pending at the moment.” In response to a question on whether they would be held up much longer, he said: “I don’t know. It’s not a matter that the Administration has considered in recent days and it is sitting there.”