Mr. NIELDS: ...But I just want the facts to be clear. I think you have testified that Mr. North participated in preparing this chronology.

Mr. McFARLANE: Yes.

Mr. NIELDS: And the last version of the chronology says that the United States was told that it was oil drilling equipment.

Mr. McFARLANE: Yes.

Mr. NIELDS: And Mr. North knew that it, in fact, had been Hawk missiles?

Mr. McFARLANE: I assume so.

Mr. NIELDS: And he knew that in 1985, did he not?

Mr. McFARLANE: Yes.

Mr. NIELDS: In November?

Mr. McFARLANE: Yes.

Mr. NIELDS: Mr. Poindexter participated in this chronology.

Mr. McFARLANE: Yes.

Mr. NIELDS: And he knew in November 1985 that it was Hawk missiles?

Mr. McFARLANE: Yes.

Mr. NIELDS: You had participated in this chronology?

Mr. McFARLANE: Yes.

Mr. NIELDS: And you knew in November 1985 that it was Hawk missiles?

Mr. McFARLANE: Yes, I did.

Mr. NIELDS: And all three of you put out a story that it was oil drilling. equipment and that that is what you had been told in 1985?

Mr. McFARLANE: I disagree with that. First of all, your tracking of these versions of the chronology from the 18 to 20th assumes that in the. 18th version which does not mention any oil parts, to the 20th, that that changed by contribution, and it isn't. Beyond that, the fact that in 1985 I had been informed about these 18 Hawks being shipped, which is quite true, and is a matter of record in my notes with the Secretary of State, in 1986 I didn't recall that and that is what I said. But in the same conversation with the Attorney General, when reminded that there had been indeed Hawk shipments made, I said, fine, I accept that. I didn't recall it, and I wrote down that I didn't recall it in my note back to Admiral Poindexter.

Mr. NIELDS: So you are saying that after a week of working on these chronologies, which moved from a version in which it was clearly stated that Hawk missiles had been transported in November 1985, to a version which you then passed on to the Attorney General that we were told it was oil drilling equipment, throughout that week you never remembered that you had known in November 1985 that Hawk missiles were shipped.

Mr. McFARLANE: I think I see what the problem is, Mr. Nields. First of all, I didn't work on these chronologies all the time. On the 18th I was asked to come over but on the night of the 18th, I spent most of my time on the opening statement. I think that is obvious from the length of the cable I finally ended up writing. It was on the opening statement. I did, however, then turn my attention to the chronology that was being worked on. I didn't go all the way through it. I didn’t read it all. I did go down and in several places made some changes to it and pointed out errors and others that I was assured would be taken care of. But I didn't get into all of them. I did, and I have testified, focused on the President's involvement in the original decision.