Kuwait has asked at least fourcountries, including the United States, Soviet Union, Britain
and China, for temporary use of their flags or tankers to
protect Kuwaiti oil shipments in the troubled Persian Gulf,
Reagan Administration officials said.
    The officials confirmed a New York Times report that Kuwait
wants to transfer some of its oil tankers to U.S. or Soviet
registration in hopes Iran would be reluctant to launch new
"Silkworm" missiles at superpower flags.
    The United States has vowed to keep the gulf open to
international oil traffic and has warned Tehran against using
the Chinese-made missiles recently installed in Iran near the
mouth of the gulf.
    "They (the Kuwaitis) have also asked Britain, China and
possibly some other European countries to lease tankers to
carry their oil," one of the administration officials, who asked
not to be identified, told Reuters.
    The United States is considering the request to temporarily
transfer Kuwaiti ships to American registration, but such a
move could create insurance and other problems, the officials
said.
    U.S. defense officials told Reuters yesterday that Kuwait
had decided for at least the time being not to accept a U.S.
offer to use American warships to escort its tankers in the
gulf, where both Iran and Iraq have been attacking shipping.
 Reuter
