U.S. Squeeze on Noriega Tightens : Reagan Blocks All Payments by Americans to Panama Regime

President Reagan, seeking to step up U.S. pressure on the Panamanian regime of Gen. Manuel A. Noriega without halting all of its trade with the United States, on Friday prohibited any payments by Americans to accounts of the government controlled by Noriega and moved to ensure that a freeze on Panamanian government assets in the United States stays in force.

The executive order, invoking the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act that previously was used against Iran, Libya, Nicaragua and--to a lesser degree--South Africa, is expected to have a major impact on Texaco, which runs a refinery in Panama; United Brands, which has major operations there, and Pan American World Airways and Eastern Airlines, both of which fly routes between the United States and Panama, an Administration official said.

Iran Order More Sweeping

But the order was far less sweeping than the Iranian assets freeze that the Jimmy Carter Administration imposed in 1979, using the same act. At that time, the United States blocked the movement of all cash deposits to Tehran--either to the government or to private citizens.

The latest sanctions against Panama will involve only those payments by U.S. corporations and individuals that are destined for the Noriega government--such as payments of Panamanian taxes, utility bills and telephone charges to state-run utilities. The ban will affect subsidiaries of U.S. corporations as well as parent firms.

The move to block Panamanian government access to its assets in the United States--99% of which are bank deposits--is intended to make sure that a court injunction blocking such assets, obtained by ousted President Eric A. Delvalle’s representatives, will remain in effect.

Delvalle, deposed from office last month by the National Assembly at Noriega’s behest, is nevertheless recognized by the Reagan Administration as Panama’s legitimate head of government.

The other measures make mandatory the voluntary controls sought last week by the Administration to stem the flow of money from the United States to the Noriega regime.

U.S. officials said that the Administration decided to limit the new restrictions to those that would squeeze the Noriega government further without hurting the Panamanian people.

For example, Washington could have blocked the movement of all cash on deposit in the United States to Panamanian banks, but that would have left Panamanians without cash if local banks reopened. Panama uses the U.S. dollar as its own currency.

Administration officials held out the possibility that additional economic measures would be considered if Noriega remains in office.

Inevitable Leakage

U.S. officials conceded that some leakage in the sanctions is inevitable, despite Friday’s action. And they said that the additional sanctions will not totally cut off Noriega’s regime from access to dollars.

But the order does plug a significant hole that had frustrated the U.S. effort. Estimates are that the tax payments to be blocked alone could amount to between $20 million and $25 million over the next several months. There were no estimates of how much in utility and telephone bills might go unpaid.

The measure was imposed as part of an ongoing effort to oust Noriega, commander of the Panama Defense Forces, who has been indicted on drug trafficking and related charges in the United States.

The executive order imposing the new measures was signed Friday by Reagan, who is winding up a 10-day Easter holiday at his ranch northwest of Santa Barbara.

In an accompanying statement, White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said that “these measures will provide further support to the efforts of the people of Panama and President Eric Delvalle to restore democratic government and constitutional order in Panama.”

No Failure Seen

White House Chief of Staff Howard H. Baker Jr. said that the new steps do not mean that previous economic measures freezing Panamanian government accounts in the United States had failed.

“After all, Gen. Noriega is the much beleaguered, de facto leader of the Panamanian government. He is certainly not in a comfortable position, nor are the people of Panama, which is unfortunate,” he said.

One senior Administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, maintained: “There are prospects that the general economic approach will work. . . . The policy of the government is that Noriega must leave (and) does not necessarily mean he had to leave yesterday.”

On a nearly weekly basis, the Administration has been seeking ways to increase the pressure on Noriega, short of an outright military operation. Last Friday, the Pentagon announced the dispatch of 1,300 additional troops to help protect U.S. facilities and military dependents living in Panama. The latter number about 13,000. At that time, officials disclosed that Reagan had rejected a much larger military involvement, favored by the State Department, to oust Noriega.

Previously, the Administration decided to deposit U.S. government funds owed to Panama in an account established, at Delvalle’s request, at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and removed trade preferences previously available to Panama.

Times staff writer Art Pine contributed to this story from Washington.