Mr. MEESE: As Secretary Shultz said in his testimony last week, Our efforts in the space of just over 3 days turned up the essential facts that are still the essential facts today. Obviously much more information and many additional details have been uncovered by the various investigations, including those by these committees, and the months of effort that have taken place since that weekend. But the basic outline of facts that the President and I related to Congress and to the public on the 25th of November 1986 remains intact today.

From the afternoon of Friday, November 21st through the evening of Monday, November 24th, a number of people were interviewed, documents were examined, and information was obtained from the relevant agencies that had participated in the strategic Iran initiative. Much of the information we obtained has previously been provided to these committees by the witnesses that have appeared before you and in the depositions and the documents which are part of your record.

Therefore, I will not chronicle in detail the events of that week- end, but I will, of course,, be happy to respond to any questions you may have about it.

During our review, we discovered facts indicating that funds ob- tained from the arms transfers in Iran had been diverted to the Democratic Resistance forces in Nicaragua. I brought this information to the President, who determined that it should be reported promptly to the Congress and to the American people and that immedi- ate corrective action should be taken.

Therefore, on Tuesday, the 25th of November 1986, a briefing for Congressional leaders was held at 11:00 o'clock and a news conference was conducted at noon.

Although our information was by no means complete at that time, and we recognized that much investigative activity would follow, the President requested that I disclose all that we had learned to date so that there would be no claim of withholding of information or charge of coverup.