[[top margin]] -LETTERS [[/top margin]] REACTION to Rescue Attempt Gweitzman failure has produced another crisis with Washington's allies, perhaps as Severe as any since Nix. [[Nixon]] admini. "Shocks" that jarred Japan to C. [[Common]] Market None of the others were consulted in advance. They were advised that if they joined in the situation effort this might make it possible for US to delay Military moves, Such as a naval blockade or mining of Iranian harbors. Ministers voted last Tuesday. Impose export bans on May 17. US. officials said sanctions might provide results + they were willing to let them Take Effect. REACTION V. bitter Theme of U.S. cables to allies [[crossed-out]] The Theme of the [[/crossed-out]] dispatch of force to Iran was not a military operation, rather it was a humanitarian rescue operation. Christopher's Message- 1) Since mission did not succeed the joint sanction effort had become even more important. 2) Now additional need to explore every diplomatic & other approaches in search of solution crucial for allies to take lead as US & Iran have no dip. [[diplomatic]] relations. ln NY. Times. Roger Fisher (Harvard University) suggested package agreement be put on table. foreshadowed the ultimate negotiation. Pointed out that by their standards- Iranians were acting rationally. Page 2 Prelude. feeling in U.S. that the allies were not taking our call for sanctions seriously enough. A Post Editorial raised the question. Have the Europeans & [[?]] aware g the extent to which both Wash. opinion & Ame. [[American]] public opinion overall regard support on the hostages as the litmus test of alliance loyalty? The lack of any information about the well being & even the whereabouts of be hostages gave way to speculative reports in the press. They wrote about suicide attempts, punitive solitary confinements and continuous harassment & psychological pressuring of some prisoners was reported. All this besides upsetting the families was reflected in more and more public frustration & concern. The failure of the U.N Mission to Iran in March contributed to more public pressure for strong action. Among the families. It became one of the overriding reason why FLAG was formed in mid March Upon formation of FLAG we put several projects together. [[crossed-out]] Meet of them was [[/crossed-out]] The point of them all was to personalize the family members & through them the hostages whom despite world gaze still, in our opinion remained as symbols Page 3 rather than individuals. The April project was to carry the FLAG message to the Europeans.