Bush Rebuffs Questions on Contras : Claims Comments on Document Would Affect North Trial

President Bush today adamantly refused to discuss his participation in the Ronald Reagan Administration’s secret effort to help the Nicaraguan rebels, saying the “legal process ought to run unfettered without you or me endangering the trial” of Oliver L. North.

Bush would not comment on a document, introduced in the North trial Thursday, that said Bush met with then-President Roberto Suazo of Honduras to tell him of speeded-up U.S. aid. It says Bush informed Suazo of then-President Reagan’s decision at a time that Honduras was playing a key role in supporting the Contras while Congress had forbidden U.S. aid to the rebels fighting the government of Nicaragua.

3 Questions, 3 Refusals

Three times during his appearance in the White House briefing room, Bush was asked about the document, which was agreed to by the government, and three times he refused.

“It would be imprudent for me to do that, and I’m not going to do it,” he said.

“I am not going to comment on any aspect of the North trial while it’s in progress,” Bush said. “If I even comment on your question, it could prejudice the trial. . . . I believe the legal process ought to run unfettered without you or me endangering the trial process. And that’s the last question I will take on that subject.”

He said the facts contained in the court document have “been available to the independent counsel and the Iran-Contra committees and reviewed by them for any special significance.”

Pressed again on the topic during a briefing called to discuss the Alaskan oil spill, Bush added:

“I’ve said all I want to say about it because I really believe on the advice of lawyers that that’s the last thing we ought to do is even be kicking it around. . . . So please accept it when I said I don’t want to talk about it anymore and I’m not going to.”

The court document shows that Bush’s meeting with Suazo was set up by behind-the-scenes discussions among North and other U.S. officials on a plan to seek assistance from other countries to tide over the Nicaraguan rebels at a time when direct or indirect American assistance was outlawed by Congress.

A preface to the document said, “The United States has admitted for purposes of this trial the following facts to be true,” and it went to lengths to stitch together how the secret covert support program worked.

Linked to U.S. Aid

In effect, the Reagan program established a “ quid pro quo “ relationship basing U.S. assistance to Honduras and some other countries at least in part on those countries’ willingness to help sustain the Contra fighting force.

There was no indication that Bush cited this linkage in his meeting with Suazo. But in earlier testimony, former National Security Adviser Robert C. McFarlane said the aid was part of a secret agreement calling for Honduras, in return, to help the Contras.

Portions of the document show Bush as an enthusiastic supporter of the effort to tide over the Contras until direct U.S. assistance could be resumed.