Word: algerianness
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...where-and how-were the other hostages? After the Tehran films had been transmitted, the Iranians televised a Tehran press conference with Algerian Ambassador Abdelkarim Gheraieb. His words were the most comforting yet. He said he and another Algerian diplomat had seen all 52 of the hostages and "found them all in good health." In Washington, the State Department revealed that it was to receive a more detailed report from the Ambassador when he arrived in the U.S. over the weekend. On a holiday vacation in Plains, Ga., President Carter said of the hostages: "They all seem quite well...
...American public," said one of his aides. "The only difference is that he feels personally accountable for those 52 lives." Indeed, since his defeat in the November election, Carter has devoted much of his time to the technical details of the negotiations with Iran through Algerian middlemen. He had hoped that he might yet succeed in freeing the Americans and give his presidency something of an upbeat finale. Explained the aide: "This happened on our watch, and we all would have liked to write an end to it on our watch...
...President is embittered anew over Iran's demand that the U.S. deposit $24 billion* into an Algerian bank account, pending the unfreezing of Iranian funds in U.S. banks, and the location and return of the late Shah's assets. "We will not pay any ransom," snapped an angry Carter. "We have never been willing to even consider that...
...demands for guarantees of money in the amount of $23 billion presented the most difficulties, according to senior U.S. officials. For example, it was unclear what portion of the frozen $13 billion must be transferred to an escrow account in the Algerian Central Bank as a guarantee of good faith. Some $7 billion of those assets is subject to litigation by American companies that had contracts in Iran before the revolution. U.S. officials had hoped Iran would understand that Carter does not have legal authority to expatriate those funds. The implication was that the demand exceeded the amount Carter might...
Despite the disappointment, the Administration found reason for some encouragement in the week's events. Along with Raja'i, Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeini himself seemed ready to resolve the dilemma. The Ayatullah personally approved Iran's answer before it was transmitted to the U.S. by Algerian intermediaries. Muskie speculated that Khomeini's involvement signaled a "new phase" in the negotiations. Another hopeful sign seemed to lie in the fact that the Iranians were no longer talking in terms of a possible phased release of their captives, a notion the U.S. has flatly rejected...