Dems close ranks on contra aid

WASHINGTON Senate Democrats, closing ranks for the first time onthe issue of aid to Nicaraguan rebels, proposed a two-step processWednesday that would give $32 million in humanitarian and medical aidto the contras and then hold out the prospect of another $16.3 inmiltary aid.

Within minutes, the plan was rejected by Senate Minority LeaderRobert J. Dole (Kan.), who said, "It's not a compromise. It's acapitulation."

Dole said he is willing to work with Senate Majority LeaderRobert C. Byrd (W.Va.) for a bipartisan measure, but Dole denouncedthe Democrats' approach. Asked how Nicaraguan President DanielOrtega would greet the Democratic plan for possible military aid tothe contras, Dole retorted, "With a bottle of champagne."

Earlier, nine smiling Democrats who have held opposing views onthe contras appeared at a press conference at which they spelled outtheir plan. It was formulated as a counterproposal to Dole's planfor a vote on $21 million in immediate military aid, plus $27 millionin humanitarian help.

If Byrd is successful in an effort to attach the Democratic aidplan to the defense appropriation bill in the Senate, the Democratswill have blunted the Republicans' scheme to make the contra cause anissue in the presidential campaign.

Dole has chided Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis for hissharp opposition to sending any military supplies to the contras,while his vice-presidential running mate, Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (Texas)has voted with gusto for such help.

In the last 2 1/2 weeks, Byrd has been able to pull togetheropposing factions, led by Sen. David Boren (D-Okla.), one of the mostardent contra supporters in the Senate, and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy(D-Mass.), an equally intense opponent of fueling the contras.

The key to the Democratic plan is immediate delivery of $27million in humanitarian aid and $5 million in medical supplies,coupled with a procedure for releasing $16.3 million in militarysupplies that were voted last year but frozen in February.

A second vote by Congress would be required to release themilitary supplies. It would be triggered only if President Reagandecided that the Sandinistas have violated two of three conditionsset forth in the Democratic procedure.

The three standards are: Unprovoked military attack by the Sandinistas. Continued blatant violations of cease-fire accords. Continued unacceptable level of military assistance by the SovietUnion or Soviet-allied countries, including Cuba.

For the Senate to take a vote, the president would have to sendhis request to the House before adjournment this year. The Housealso would have to approve the request first.

Contra skeptics, including Kennedy and Sen. Christoper J. Dodd(D-Conn.), emphasized that the plan would not appropriate any newmilitary assistance. It would merely release old aid and only ifboth Houses voted to do so.

Contra enthusiasts, including Boren, stressed that the proposaldoes give the president about a month to decide whether to start aprocess that could lead to the delivery of military aid. Borentermed it a "fast track" plan.

"It's a good balance between the two sides," Boren said.

Boren said all Senate Democrats who have voted to support contraaid would vote for the the Democratic compromise. Dodd speculatedthat the rest of the Democrats would join in.

"Everyone understands that we are not voting any new lethalaid," Byrd said. "But this sends a signal to Ortega, if he continuesto frustrate democracy," a release of military aid is possible.

Dole's most emphatic objection appeared to be to therequirement that the House would have to vote approval of Reagan'srequest before the Senate could take it up under a special rulecalled expedited procedures.

The House, led by Speaker Jim Wright (D-Texas), has repeatedlyblocked military aid.

"I don't think I'll live that long," Dole cracked. "No oneelected the speaker to run foreign policy."