Honor Among Traitors

To the Editor:

Re "Abrams Back in Capital Fray at Center of Mideast Battle" (front page, Dec. 7):

With regard to Elliott Abrams's participation in our talks in New York on the recent Iraq inspection resolution, the suggestion by an unidentified official in your article that I was upset by Mr. Abrams's interventions is simply untrue.

To the contrary, Mr. Abrams was a welcome member of our negotiating team and made a most valuable contribution to the process. Our personal relations have been and remain excellent.

JOHN D. NEGROPONTE
New York, Dec. 8, 2002