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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 5, 1985)
I Reagan requests cease-fire, peace meetings in Nicaragua WASHINGTON (AP) — President Ronald Reagan called Thursday for a cease-fire and peace negotiations in Nicaragua, and warned that he would seek a resumption of military aid to rebel forces if the ruling leftists do not agree to a settle ment within 60 days after opening negotiations. At the same time, Reagan urged Congress to release $14 million in aid to the rebels. Congress refused last year to appropriate any more money to support the "contras,” but left an opening for the administration to seek the money again. Both the House and Senate must approve the resolu tion in order for the funds to be released. “While the cease-fire offer is on the table, I pledge these funds will not be used for arms or. munitions,” he added. He said the money would pay for food, clothing, medicine and ‘‘other sup port for survival.” A cease-fire proposal by Nicaraguan opposi-' tion groups sets April 20 as the deadline for .the government to agree to peace talks. The San dinistas have rejected the offer, and Reagan asked the rebels to extend it until June 1. Regardless of whether Congress approves the rebel funds, Reagan said, “We're not going to quit and walk away from them, no matter what happens.” Rep. Thomas Foley, D-Wash., the house ma jority whip, said Reagan's proposal was "old w'ine in new bottles.” “I can’t imagine a member of Congress op posed to this in the past being persuaded that this is anything different,” he said. Foley added that he expects the votes on Reagan’s request to be “very close.”. With Reagan’s, report in hand, Republican congressional leaders .were-'free to introduce resolutions in the House and Senate seeking the money. Such a .-resolution was introduced Thurs day in the. Senate, where a vote was scheduled April 23. House GOP leaders did not introduce a companion resolution Thursday; but Foley said the introduction should come April 15 when Con gress returns from its Easter-Passover recess, leading to a vote later this month. Court won’t hear PCB testimony CONDON (AP) — The Gilliam County Court on Wednes day refused to retract its endorsement of a proposed PCB in cinerator near Arlington, saying it will not hold a public hearing on the proposal. The court, the equivalent of a county commission, said Wednesday that further hearings on the issue would be useless. “It’s like kicking a dead horse;” Commissioner Alan Anderson said. Les Ruark of Arlington, .co-chairman of Concerned Citizens for Proper Waste Disposal requested the retraction, “We believe that right now you’re operating under half of the information you should be operating under,”.he said. Chem-Security Systems Inci, which operates a toxic waste dump near Arlington, has applied, to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for a permit to build a $1:5. million incinerator that-could handle up to 1.2 million gallons a year of liquid PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls. UP Bookstore © Forest Service after tree v&ndal CULP CREEK (AP) -r Forest Service officials'are . offering ar $1,000 reward for information leading to a conviction for the malicious felling of a landmark 450-year-old Douglas fir tree ajong a creek east of Cottage Grove. The Forest Service said Wednesday that a vandal or vandals used a 48-inch chain saw to cut down the 230-foot tree — which had an 8-foot thick base — during the weekend of March 23-24. Forest Service officials said they have no idea why the tree was cut. They urge anyone with information about the incident to call them at 1-942-5591. The Magic of Mexico.
