Reagan Says Rejection of Saudi Sale Undermines Trust in U.S. : Tells GOP House, Senate Leaders It Must Be Reversed

President Reagan, warned that he faces an uphill battle to overturn congressional rejection of his plan to sell missiles to Saudi Arabia, said today the action must be reversed to show that America can be trusted.

The President, who plans later this week to veto a congressional resolution disapproving the $354-million sale, made the statement during a meeting with Senate and House Republican leaders.

The meeting was closed, but White House spokesman Larry Speakes quoted Reagan as saying that if the resolution is allowed to stand, “it will undermine the credibility of all our security commitments” in the Middle East.

Reputation in Danger

“Many of you have worked to help restore our country’s reputation around the world as a reliable ally, a friend to those with whom we have established economic and security ties, as a friend that can be counted on and trusted to stand by our commitments,” the President said. “We have to maintain that reputation.”

“There is no region in the world where our steadfastness and leadership are so pivotal as in the Middle East,” he added. “The consequences of our refusing this sale would, in my view, send a signal throughout the Middle East to the serious detriment of our interests there for many years to come.”

Republican leaders emerging from the meeting, including senators on both sides of the issue, said Reagan faces a difficult fight to overturn the congressional action.

Going to Be Close

“It’s tough,” Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole of Kansas said.

“I think it’s less than 50-50,” said Sen. William L. Armstrong of Colorado, chairman of the GOP Policy Committee.

“It’s a very uphill struggle,” said Sen. Richard G. Lugar of Indiana, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Lugar and Dole voted for the arms sale. Armstrong voted against it.

Reagan and Shultz met with Republican leaders of the House and Senate in the morning and in the afternoon with Republican senators, including both opponents and supporters of the sale.

Some of the GOP leaders said inattention to the issue by an Administration preoccupied with terrorism and the economic summit may have contributed to the overwhelming rejection of the sale last week.

“I think the difficulties that were faced with the Saudi sale perhaps were not understood,” Lugar said. “Its awfully hard to be effective from Indonesia or from Tokyo on this kind of an issue. The President is most effective eyeball to eyeball right here, and that he is about to do.”

The Republican-controlled Senate voted 73 to 22 for a resolution disapproving the sale near the end of Reagan’s 13-day Far Eastern tour. The resolution passed 356 to 62 in the Democratic-run House.

White House warning. Page 12.