News stories from Saturday April 1, 1978
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- The F.B.I. interviewed President Carter as part of its investigation into whether efforts to have David Marston removed as the United States Attorney in Philadelphia constituted an obstruction of justice, according to sources at the Justice Department. The sources said Mr. Carter was questioned about the call he received in November from Representative Joshua Eilberg, Democrat of Pennsylvania, who urged the President to replace Mr. Marston, a Republican, with a Democrat. The Justice Department is investigating whether Mr. Eilberg knew that he was under investigation by Mr. Marston's office when he called Mr. Carter. [New York Times]
- President Carter committed his administration to an Africa "that is free from colonialism, racism and military interference by outside nations." He made the major policy statement in an address in Lagos, where he pledged to work with Nigeria and other black African countries to achieve majority rule in Rhodesia and South-West Africa. Warning that "the hour is late," Mr. Carter also called on South Africa to transform its racially divided society "progressively and peacefully with assured respect for the rights of all." And, referring to the Soviet and Cuban forces in Ethiopia, he condemned "the military intervention of outside powers or their proxies." [New York Times]
- The Carter administration has decided to end the arms embargo against Turkey that Congress imposed when Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974. In this major policy shift, the administration will not wait for Turkey to make concessions on Cyprus. In attempting to persuade Congress to lift the embargo, the administration is risking confrontation with the organized Greek-American community as well as with Congress. But in a conciliatory move, the administration will not ask Congress to approve the four-year defense agreement with Turkey that was negotiated in 1976 by the Ford administration, in which $1 billion in aid would be exchanged for the reopening of the 25 American bases that were closed when the embargo was imposed. [New York Times]