REAGAN SETS FIRM RULES FOR NATIONAL SECURITY STAFF
President Reagan made public a
detailed set of orders to his national security staff designed
to prevent scandals similar to the Iran arms affair.
    In a message to Congress accompanying National Security
Decision Directive (NSDD) 266, Reagan said: "(The reforms) are
evidence of my determination to return to proper procedures,
including consultation with the Congress."
    NSDDs are normally classified. Officials said this was the
first time the duties of the national security staff had been
spelled out in such a document since the National Security
Council (NSC) was set up by Congress 40 years ago.
    The orders implement the recommendations of the Tower
Commission, named by the president to investigate the secret
U.S. Arms sales to Iran and led by former Senator John Tower.
    In a scathing report on February 26, the panel blasted the
conduct of the NSC staff and criticised the president for being
unaware of many of the activities of his subordinates.
    Reagan accepted the report's conclusions in a speech on
March 4 and said he had barred NSC staff from conducting covert
operations. The prohibition is laid out in NSDD 266 which calls
for a "small, highly competent (NSC staff) broadly experienced
in the making of national security policy."
    NSDD 266 said the organization should impose "clear vertical
lines of control and accountability."
    The eight page document said the NSC's use of private
individuals and organisations as intermediaries to conduct
covert activities would be "appropriately limited and subject to
close observation."
    It said the NSC staff should include a legal adviser who
would have access to all information. The national security
adviser should initiate periodic reassessments of policies and
operations and ensure that consultations and presidential
decisions are adequately recorded, it said.
 REUTER
