Reagan Blasts Wright for Indiscretion

WASHINGTON--President Reagan yesterday accused House Speaker Jim Wright of talking indiscreetly about U.S. intelligence secrets but stopped short of denying Wright's claim that the administration used the CIA to foment civil unrest in Nicaragua.

Reagan's chief spokesman, Marlin Fitzwater, also refused to confirm or deny Wright's statements. But Fitzwater said the Texas Democrat "has always been more than willing to take the positions" of the Marxist government headed by President Daniel Ortega.

Wright said Tuesday that Congress had received "clear testimony" that the administration sought to secretly undermine the Nicaraguan peacemaking process, thus damaging long-term prospects for an accord between Ortega's ruling Sandinistas and the Contra rebels.

Wright told reporters the CIA has employed agents covertly in Nicaragua to organize and promote antigovernment rallies and protests.

Asked about this yesterday during a picture-taking session with the military Joints Chief of Staff, Reagan said, "The reaction I have--and I think it should fit the speaker also--there is no way we should talk publicly about intelligence operations of any kind."

Asked if he disputed Wright's assertions, the president said, "If I start going down that road, then I'm creating the same violation that he did."

Asked if he thought Wright had abused a process in which the executive branch shares secret intelligence information with selected congressional leaders, Reagan said, "I just say it's common sense to not discuss anything having to do with intelligence operations and so forth."

Wright, speaking at his regular daily news conference Tuesday, had said that the Congress received information indicating the CIA had sought "to provoke an overreaction" by the Managua government to dissent in that country.