Reagan Lauds Allied Pressure on Libya

WASHINGTON--The Reagan administration praised European allies yesterday for taking steps to rein in Libyan diplomatic personnel while revealing it has decided against expelling Libyans from the United States.

Noting the arrest of 21 Libyans in Britain and moves by other European countries to curb trade with Libya and restrict the movements of its diplomatic personnel, White House spokesman Larry Speakes said, "These are the kind of steps, this is the kind of cooperation that is essential if we're going to combat terrorism on an international basis."

But Speakes also said, "Quite frankly, though, more needs to be done."

President Reagan's chief spokesman declined to spell out what he meant by that. However, Speakes did say, "we will take up these kind of issues at the economic summit in Tokyo" from May 4-7.

While saying it was heartened by the arrest of the Libyans in Britain and the move by a dozen European nations to restrict the size and activities of Libyan missions known as "People's Bureaus," the administration disclosed it had weighed ordering the estimated 2,000 to 3,000 Libyans out of this country.

"We have considered whether to send them home and have decided not to," John Whitehead, deputy secretary of state, said in an appearance before a pair of House Foreign Affairs subcommittees.

But in response to questions, Whitehead also said FBI surveillance of Libyans in the United States was being stepped up after last week's raid on Libya. He said there was concern over the possibility some of the Libyans might carry out terrorist raids at the behest of Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy.

The United States did not expel the Libyans, he said, because "there will be a Libya after Khadafy" and it may help the U.S. position in a post-Khadafy Libya if some Libyans have been closely exposed to the United States.

Parker Borg, of the State Department, said the number of Libyans in the United States is between 2,000 and 3,000 and most of them are students.

There were other developments:

.Matthew Scocozza, assistant secretary of Transportation for international affairs, said the United States has a list of 17 foreign airports that are considered "high risk" for terrorist incidents. The list is classified, he said, but Scocozza also said there is no reason yet to warn Americans not to travel through those airports.

.Robert Sims, the chief Pentagon spokesman, vehemently denied a Soviet foreign ministry spokesman's assertion that Russia had received information indicating that five American planes were destroyed or damaged in the bombing raids last week against Libya.

.The Washington Post quoted U.S. officials as saying that within minutes of an April 5 explosion that blew up a West Berlin discotheque and killed an American serviceman, the East Berlin Libyan "People's Bureau" sent a message to headquarters in Tripoli saying an operation was "happening now."

.A Palestinian arrested in the West Berlin nightclub bombing has been identified as the brother of a man accused in Britain of trying to bomb an Israeli airliner, West Berlin officials said.