U.S. Attempting to Form World Anti-Mine Force

The United States is trying to persuade a number of unidentified nations to join it in creating an international naval force that could be dispatched for minesweeping operations anywhere in the world, Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger said today.

Weinberger, in a breakfast meeting with Pentagon correspondents, said he would not discuss the initiative in detail because such talk “would destroy the hope completely.”

But he said such an international minesweeping force obviously could be deployed to the Persian Gulf.

Copter Carrier on Way

Weinberger also said the U.S. helicopter carrier Guadalcanal will soon enter the gulf with eight minesweeping helicopters aboard. He said the Guadalcanal is on its way to the gulf from the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, where it picked up the eight RH-53D Sea Stallion minesweeping helicopters.

On the international force, Weinberger said: “I would hope we could look forward to an international minesweeping force, made up of a number of nations that do not have a direct relationship with the gulf, because it’s to the interest of all maritime nations to have international bodies of waters kept free of hazards of that kind,” Weinberger said.

“So I would like to see much more of a regular, international minesweeping, counter-mine capability. And I have some hopes that we’re going to be able to develop something like it before too much longer.”

More Mines Spotted

Weinberger confirmed that some additional mines have been spotted in the northern central gulf--in the area that the latest U.S.-escorted convoy of Kuwaiti tankers sailed through--and that the Pentagon has received reports of mines being spotted outside the Persian Gulf in the Gulf of Oman.

“I know that the sweeping activity has been going on and it’s quite effective,” Weinberger said, referring to the Persian Gulf.

“Quite a bit of it is going on. We’re doing a lot ourselves. We’re having some help (from others).”

Pressed as to which nations in the gulf have been assisting the U.S. forces there, Weinberger said:

“We’re getting the help on the basis of not discussing it. So all I’m going to say is that we’re getting significant and welcome help from a number of other countries.”