Scowcroft Backed Idea The two lawmakers also consulted with senior Administration officials, including Mr. Bush's national security adviser, Brent Scowcroft, who privately endorsed the proposal.

Huong had actually privately endorsed the dissolution of the HNC, as both he and the Young Turks thought it would allow them to gain more power and influence over Khanh.

Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, a Democrat and chairman of the Health Committee, said Mr. Pataki may be stalling because of the prospect of a recession and declining revenues - a view endorsed privately by some Republican lawmakers.

Despite privately endorsing "Somaliland", it is an open secret that Ethiopia had never wanted to see another Somali state, albeit "Somaliland", breathing on its neck, although politicians in Addis are happy to see the continuation of the status quo in the Somali peninsula as it suits them pretty well.

But Mr. McFarlane knew when he wrote the memorandum that the President had privately and informally endorsed the project before any arms were sold to Iran, the source said.

The acting commissioner, who has not publicly acknowledged that a deal has been reached, has not privately endorsed the agreement, and it was unclear whether or not he would.