U.S. Eases Ban on Arms Sales to Latin America

By STEVEN LEE MYERS

W ASHINGTON Reversing a policy enacted two decades ago because
of human rights concerns, the Clinton administration announced
Friday that it would lift the ban on sales of the most advanced
weapons, like fighter jets and tanks, to countries in Latin
America.

President Carter imposed the ban in 1978, determined to deny
advanced weaponry to the military dictatorships that then ruled
most of Central and South America. In recent years, though, the
Pentagon and the nation's military contractors have pressed the
White House to allow some sales, arguing that most of the
countries, with the exception of Cuba, are now moving toward
democracy.

The administration said it would now consider allowing arms sales
"case by case," essentially putting Latin American countries
through the same approval process as other countries. In announcing
the change, the administration insisted that selling the weapons
would help stabilize the region and bolster the transition to
democracy.

"It is in America's national security interest to promote stability
and security among our neighbors in the hemisphere by engaging with
them as equal partners as they modernize and restructure their
defense establishments," said a statement released Friday by White
House spokesman Michael McCurry.

The reversal is a victory for the big military contractors, like
Lockheed Martin Corp. and McDonnell Douglas Corp. While the arms
market in Latin America is relatively small ranging from $500
million to as much as $2 billion a year, most of it for aircraft
the change could open markets in countries that have in the past
bought weapons elsewhere.

"Latin American countries will now be able to consider American
products as well as European and other," said Joel Johnson, a vice
president of the Aerospace Industries Association in Washington,
which represents aircraft makers. "We have had for the last two
decades a policy of unilateral paternalism, in which we've told
them they shouldn't have modern military equipment. And the end
result is they bought it elsewhere."

The administration's decision, which followed an internal review
that dragged on for more than a year, drew immediate criticism from
lawmakers and armscontrol advocates. They say that Latin American
democracies remain unstable and that an influx of advanced weapons
could set off an arms race in the region and rekindle traditional
rivalries like those between Chile and Argentina, or Peru and
Ecuador.

Sen. Christopher Dodd, DConn., denounced the change and said he
would redouble efforts to pass legislation restoring the
restrictions on sales. Rep. Nita Lowey, DN.Y., has introduced
similar legislation in the House.

"I continue to believe that the 20year policy has worked and is
the right policy," Dodd said. "I find it hard to believe that
selling sophisticated aircraft, such as F16s, helps to maintain
regional security and stability."

Perhaps anticipating criticism, the White House made the
announcement with little fanfare, issuing a statement Friday as
Congress broke for its August recess.

The previous policy was not a blanket ban on sales of weapons
including jets, helicopters, tanks and radar systems. Instead it
was "a policy of restraint with the presumption of denial." In
practice, though, only once did the United States allow an
exemption for a major sale, permitting Venezuela to buy 24 F16
fighter jets in 1981 because of its fears about Soviet troops
stationed in Cuba.

The Pentagon, under Secretary of Defense William Perry, asked
Clinton to review the policy two years ago. Chile, which made its
transition to democracy from military rule in 1990, also promoted
the reconsideration, expressing an interest in buying 18 to 24
F16s.

The review led to an internal debate. Warren Christopher, secretary
of state at the time, told the Senate's Committee on Foreign
Relations, "I think we should show great restraint in introducing
new or high levels of weapons into areas where they do not
presently have them."

In January, however, Christopher joined Perry in recommending the
review before both stepped down. Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright also supported the change, State Department officials
said, but Clinton held off on a decision until now as opponents in
the administration continued to argue against it.

Administration officials said Friday that even now the United
States will scrutinize each request closely, granting sales only to
those countries with solidifying democracies and firm civilian
control over the military. Also, officials said the United States
would not approve sales to countries with unresolved conflicts,
like Peru and Ecuador, which battled along their border just last
year.

"It's a lifting of the ban, not an invitation to an arms race,"
Thomas McLarty III, the president's special coordinator for Latin
American policy, said.

The likelihood of military conflict in Latin America has certainly
declined in recent years as countries moved toward civilian
governments and increasingly integrated their economies.

Thomas McNamara, the assistant secretary of state for
politicalmilitary affairs, said the United States had to allow
countries in Latin America to modernize their militaries, as any
modern democracy would. Jeffrey Davidow, the assistant secretary
for interAmerican affairs, said the change was "a sensitive
decision" but was the next step in relations with the region.

"If we're going to deal with these countries as democracies," he
said, "I think we have to have a little faith and confidence in
them."