Democrats to Criticize, Not Delay, Gulf Plan

Democratic congressional leaders today agreed to support a proposal criticizing--but not delaying--President Reagan’s plan to protect Kuwaiti oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, congressional sources said.

House Speaker Jim Wright (D-Tex.) declined to release details about the plan, saying he wanted to talk about it with House Republicans because “the leadership wants this done in a nonpartisan way.”

Wright said congressional leaders plan to talk to Reagan next week to discuss their concerns about his proposal to protect the Kuwaiti tankers, which would be under American flag and would be escorted by U.S. Navy ships.

“We recognize that this country has a legitimate interest in the Persian Gulf,” Wright told reporters.

Democratic leaders of both chambers met early today to try to reach a consensus. They agreed generally that any measure should raise questions and criticisms of Reagan’s plan but should not delay it, as the reflagging policy will likely be in effect before any congressional action takes effect, according to sources speaking on condition of anonymity.

Senate Majority Leader Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) said after the meeting that “there’s a consensus among our party members that we can work together on a resolution, so as we can be undivided.”

Meanwhile, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was blocked when it attempted to vote on a variety of Persian Gulf bills, some of which would have delayed the start of Reagan’s protection plan.

The panel had discussed the controversial issue for two hours when Sen. Claiborne Pell (D-R.I.), the chairman, announced that the meeting was being halted. Under Senate rules, committees can meet for more than two hours while the full Senate is in session only if no senator objects.

The objection to the meeting was filed by minority Republicans.

Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum (R-Kan.) told her colleagues that “we should not take any action” because no consensus was possible among varying viewpoints.

Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.) agreed, saying, “this is not a serious way to discuss foreign policy.”

But Pell, author of a bill that would halt the Kuwaiti protection plan, said after the meeting that he will seek to take a resolution that would halt the proposal to the full Senate floor.