Will Attack Anti-U.S. Blocs in U.N., Walters Pledges

Vernon A. Walters, President Reagan’s choice to become U.N. ambassador, said today that his first priority in his new job will be to pull apart regional alliances of nations that have opposed the United States on a broad range of international issues.

Walters, a former three-star Army general and deputy director of the CIA, testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is expected to recommend his confirmation without significant opposition.

“I think a great deal can be done in breaking up the solid bloc of governments who vote against us,” Walters said. “I would like to rebuild some of the majority we (the United States) used to have.”

He was not specific, except to say that one issue on which he intends to work hard is reducing opposition to Israel and U.S. policies toward Israel in the international body.

“There is tremendous hostility to Israel,” he said.

If confirmed, Walters, 67, would replace Jeane J. Kirkpatrick, who had Cabinet rank.

Effort to Downgrade Job

Secretary of State George P. Shultz reportedly tried to downgrade the U.N. job, but Walters insisted that he would only accept the appointment if he were given access to Cabinet and some National Security Council meetings.

Today, Walters said he has good relations with Shultz, and added, “I am not going to be a messenger boy. The access will be the same as my predecessor.”

He said if any disagreement with Shultz became “unbearable, I will find some way to leave.”

Walters has held multiple jobs at the senior levels of government, both as military officer and, most recently, as roving ambassador in the Reagan Administration.

Fluent in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, Dutch and Russian, Walters worked as interpreter for both the late President Dwight D. Eisenhower and then-Vice President Richard M. Nixon.

Later, he was a staff aide to former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger at the Paris peace talks designed to end the Vietnam War.