US mission returns after seeking out support sites

A team of US State Department and Defense Department officials have returned from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Somalia, and Kenya to report to Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance and Defense Secretary Harold Brown on availability of bases to US forces.

They "explored the subject of access" to facilities for support of US air and naval operations in Oman, Somalia, and Kenya, but made no formal requests nor received formal offers of such facilities, Defense Department spokesman Thomas Ross said Jan. 3. Earlier, Pentagon and State Department officials said facilities in Saudi Arabia would not be requested.