Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is telling President Clinton that there are “no compelling foreign policy considerations” to justify releasing convicted spy Jonathan Pollard, a senior official said Monday. Albright, in a confidential recommendation, also is underscoring the need to maintain diplomatic security, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Pollard, a former U.S. Navy analyst, was convicted of espionage for giving Israel thousands of top-secret documents. He is serving a life sentence. Clinton is expected to make a decision soon on an Israeli request for clemency. Albright’s views, combined with the known opposition of CIA Director George Tenet to release Pollard, could seal his fate. Her stance on the Pollard case suggests that she sees no shock to U.S. relations with Israel if Pollard remains imprisoned.
