Shultz Says the U.S. Has Not Changed Its Policy Regarding Either Lebanon or Syria

Secretary of State George Shultz has assured American Jews that the United States has not changed its policy regarding Lebanon as “free of all foreign forces, with a strong representative central government and security for Israel’s northern border.”

At the same time, Shultz said that “Syria continues to impede the direct discussion between Lebanon and Israel that we believe essential to establish the conditions under which Israeli forces can be withdrawn from Lebanon with the necessary security for Israel’s northern border.”

Both statements were contained in a letter, released today, by Shultz to Kenneth Bialkin, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, in reply to criticism by the Conference of a senior State Department official’s assertion that Syria is now playing a “helpful role” in Lebanon. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Murphy, who offered this assessment of Syria before a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee last month, was immediately criticized by some of the subcommittee members.

The Conference, in a telegram to Shultz, also criticized Murphy’s statement as an “astonishing and depressing development. If it is the Administration’s policy to concede domination of Lebanon to Syria, this is indeed a sad day for America’s role in the Middle East.”

Shultz, in his reply, affirmed that Murphy “did not indicate any change in U.S. policy regarding either Lebanon or Syria. Rather, he was describing an evolving situation in which changed circumstances have resulted in some redirection of Syrian tactics.”

Shultz recalled” only too well that Syria obstructed implementation of the May 17(1983) agreement between Lebanon and Israel, and that Syria’s interests and ours were in fundamental conflict during that period. ” Continuing, Shultz wrote:

“The U.S.has long sought to end the civil violence in Lebonon, particularly in Beirut, and in the strengthening to the authority of Lebanon’s central government institutions. It remains in our interest to support efforts by President Gemayel and Prime Minister Karami to extend the government’s control in Beirut and throughout Lebanon. At the moment, Syrian interests have led them to support these same goals, albeit for different reasons than our own.”

Following the receipt of the letter, Bialkin said he was ” gratified at Shultz’s “assurances that the U.S. still sees Syria as an obstacle to peace in the area, despite what Shultz interprets as a decision by Syria to support the same goals’ as the U.S.”