Questions About John Negroponte

The Senate needs to look closely at the Bush administration's nomination of John Negroponte as America's next representative at the United Nations. With important issues facing the U.N. this fall, it is desirable to confirm a permanent representative without lengthy delay. But before any confirmation, some serious issues concerning Mr. Negroponte's conduct as ambassador to Honduras during Nicaragua's civil war two decades ago need to be fully explored.

To this end, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has requested that the Central Intelligence Agency and the State Department declassify relevant cables, reports and other documents so that Mr. Negroponte's record can be openly debated. Both agencies should comply fully with the committee's reasonable requests.

Mr. Negroponte is one of the United States' most experienced diplomats, having served capably as ambassador to Mexico and then the Philippines after his tour in Honduras. Such is his reputation for thoroughness that little that transpired concerning American policy in Honduras during his tenure there is likely to have escaped his notice.

The Senate needs to know whether his efforts on behalf of the Nicaraguan contras strayed into unethical or illegal areas. During Mr. Negroponte's term as ambassador, Congress passed the Boland amendments, restricting direct and indirect United States support for the contras. The rebels' main bases were in Honduras, and the Honduran Army provided them with financing, training and logistical support. Senators must determine whether anything Mr. Negroponte did to encourage Honduran assistance to the contras violated Congressional prohibitions.

The Senate must also establish whether Mr. Negroponte was aware of and made any effort to prevent the death squad activities of a Honduran Army battalion trained and financed by the United States. The U.N. job is symbolically important, especially in the areas of human rights and adherence to law. When the Senate confirmed Mr. Negroponte to serve in Mexico and the Philippines, his record in Honduras was not thoroughly explored. It should be now.