Facts For Your Files: A Chronology of U.S.-Middle East Relations

Washington Report, April 18, 1983, Page 6

Facts For Your Files: A Chronology of U.S.-Middle East Relations

March 31:

After a speech in Los Angeles President Reagan was asked why he had not yet given final approval for the sale of 75 F-16 jets to Israel that was informally announced last May. The President responded: "You must realize that under the law—the law exists now—those weapons must be for defensive purposes. And this is again one of the obstacles presented by the stalemate in Lebanon. While those (Israeli) forces are in the position of occupying another country ... we are forbidden by law to release those planes... " Under the sales agreement, the first of the aircraft were to be delivered in 1995.

April 1:

In attempting to clarify President Reagan's March 31 explanation of why he was withholding approval on the sale of 75 F-16's to Israel, State Department spokesman Alan Romberg said: "While Israeli forces remain in Lebanon, concerns arise as to whether it would be consistent with the spirit of the law to go ahead with the Congressional notification regarding these aircraft... " Romberg added that the President "was not stating that he was making a determination of ineligibility under United States law."

April 1:

Col. James Mead, commander of the 1,200 U.S. marines serving with the multinational peacekeeping force in Lebanon, said that the marines would begin carrying loaded weapons because Lebanese intelligence reports indicated that at least one marine patrol had been "targeted" for attack and because five individual marines had already been wounded by a grenade on March 16.

April 4:

State Department spokesman Alan Romberg denied a published report that the U.S. was planning to sell Saudi Arabia 1,200 M-1 tanks, some for possible use by the U.S.: "We have no formal request for the M-1 tank from Saudi Arabia," adding that the U.S. has "no plans for stockpiling M-1s in Saudi Arabia, nor have we ever discussed this matter with the Saudi government."

April 5:

The Reagan Administration appealed—in a statement read by State Department spokesman John Hughes—to Palestinian and Arab leaders to give support to Jordan's King Hussein, who had just held three days of talks with PLO chairman Yasser Arafat to discuss a possible mandate from the PLO to negotiate the Reagan peace proposals on its behalf. The statement said, in part: "King Hussein has taken the lead in recognizing the opportunity currently available for revitalizing the peace process. I would hope that others as well will recognize that this is a unique moment, which must be seized before it is lost, and that they will support the King in his desire to move forward toward peace."

April 8:

In a statement which Reagan Administration officials acknowledged was aimed at influencing the outcome of talks between Jordan's King Hussein and PLO officials, State Department spokesman John Hughes said: "If Jordan publicly announces its willingness to enter such negotiations (for Middle East peace as outlined in the Reagan proposals), we are determined to do our best to assure that the results of those negotiations are not prejudiced from the outset by activities of any party which reduce the prospects of a negotiated peace." Mr. Hughes said the "activities" he was referring to was Israel's construction of settlements in the West Bank.

April 10:

In reference to an announcement by King Hussein of Jordan on April 10 that Jordan had failed to reach agreement with the PLO and would not enter American-sponsored peace talks, President Reagan commented that the statement represented an impediment in our search for peace" but that he remained very hopeful" that progress could still be made toward a comprehensive Middle East settlement.

April 12:

Speaking at a White House ceremony honoring the visiting Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman, President Reagan said—"in the wake of King Hussein's unsuccessful effort to reach agreement with the PLO on entering American-sponsored peace talks—"The choices facing the Palestinian leaders are clear—either the status quo and the continued frustration of their peoples' aspirations or a bold and courageous move to break the deadlock." The President added: "For our part, we will not permit the forces of violence and terror to exercise a veto over the peace process."

April 12:

At a mark-up session of President Reagan's 1984 foreign aid bill, the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East voted a total of $850 million in economic grant aid to Israel, and $1.7 billion in military assistance—half in grant form and half in the form of repayable loans. The $1.7 billion in total grant aid to Israel is $365 million above what the President requested.

April 12:

Philip Habib, President Reagan's special representative to the Middle East, headed for the first time the U.S. delegation in the negotiations on the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon.

April 12:

The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East voted to make future U.S. arms sales of "advanced aircraft, new air defense weapons systems, or other new advanced military weapons systems" to Jordan contingent upon Presidential certification to Congress "that Jordan is publicly committed to the recognition of Israel and to prompt entry into direct peace negotiations with Israel."