Christopher’s Travel Plans Found Strewn on N.Y. Runway

A computer bag containing documents related to Secretary of State Warren Christopher’s travel plans fell off a transfer vehicle at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, and the papers were found blowing across the runway, the State Department said Friday.

Deputy spokeswoman Christine Shelly insisted the bag “contained no classified material,” although she acknowledged that the department generally does not publicize Christopher’s travel arrangements for security reasons.

Christopher is due to visit the Middle East next week, making some stops with President Clinton and some on his own.

The bag belonged to an aide in his office who was leaving to do advance work in the region in preparation for the trip. The department’s diplomatic security field office in New York was notified Thursday that the bag, which had been checked as baggage for the aide’s flight, had been discovered at the airport.

Newspapers in New York reported that the bag was discovered Wednesday evening after a pilot reported debris blocking the airport runway. The newspapers said documents blowing across the tarmac included notes on Christopher’s travel schedule in the Middle East and what he likes to eat for breakfast.