Reagan Made Hero of Kadafi, Carter Asserts

Former President Jimmy Carter said today that President Reagan’s efforts to isolate Col. Moammar Kadafi have succeeded only in exalting the Libyan leader and dividing Washington from its allies.

Carter also used a London news conference to accuse his successor of failing to take the lead in working for arms control, peace in the Middle East and an end to apartheid.

Carter said Kadafi until recently had been an outcast among most Arab nations. “But as we put enormous verbal and military pressure on Kadafi, it’s all of a sudden made him a hero.

“There are proper ways to deal with terrorism . . . and there are improper and fruitless ways that only exalt his status and separate us from our friends and allies,” he said.

Appeal Ignored

Western European nations have largely ignored Reagan’s appeal that they join Washington in imposing economic sanctions against Libya after last month’s airport attacks in Rome and Vienna. Reagan accused Kadafi of being behind the attacks that left 20 dead, including five Americans.

“I think that Kadafi is obviously a source of international terrorism,” said Carter, who was in Britain after visiting Africa to promote agricultural development.

“But I think for our nation to act unilaterally, imposing sanctions which cost us practically nothing and demanding that our allies impose sanctions that will cost them heavily is doomed to fruitlessness.”

Asked whether he felt his successor had made the United States a greater nation, Carter replied:

“I have a different concept of what is greatness.