Where candidates stand on AIDS policy

The leading presidential candidates have taken the following positions on the fight against AIDS: REPUBLICANS

George Bush. Supports mandatory testing for AIDS of federal prisoners and immigrants, and local discretion on testing of marriage-license applicants. He would leave educational strategy on AIDS to local officials but would use federal resources to gather facts about AIDS. He opposes quarantine for people with AIDS.

Robert Dole. Favors mandatory testing of immigrants; undecided on testing of prisoners; opposes testing of marriage-license applicants because of frequent errors in testing. Senator Dole has no position on the issue of teaching ``safe sex.'' Opposes quarantine.

Pete du Pont. Favors mandatory testing of prisoners, immigrants, and marriage-license applicants. Feels the prime responsibility of schools is to teach difference between right and wrong, with far less emphasis on techniques of ``safe sex.'' Says there is not enough information yet to warrant an AIDS quarantine.

Alexander Haig. Favors testing marriage-license applicants. No position on testing prisoners and immigrants. Opposes ``safe sex'' education; instead, he favors teaching about abstinence and monogamy and the medical dangers of AIDS. Opposes quarantines, except in prisons, where carriers should be isolated.

Jack Kemp. Favors testing of prisoners, immigrants, and marriage-license applicants. ``Safe sex'' question should be decided locally. Opposes quarantine.

Paul Laxalt. No position yet on testing. Favors sex education that puts primary emphasis on abstinence, but believes that information about ``safe sex'' practices should not be withheld from young people who ``take sexual activity outside of marriage for granted.''

Pat Robertson. Opposes testing of immigrants and prisoners. Favors marriage-license testing at local level. Disagrees with concept of ``safe sex,'' which he says is a misnomer because ``the only safe sex is within marriage.'' Opposes quarantine for AIDS victims, but eventually ``it could be so devastating that quarantine could be the only way to get it under control.''

DEMOCRATS

Bruce Babbitt. Opposes testing of immigrants, prisoners, marriage-license applicants, or other specific groups without more evidence. ``Testing is obviously open to be a tool of big government.'' Advocates teaching of ``safe sex'' and use of condoms. Opposes quarantine.

Joseph Biden. Favors testing of immigrants. Undecided on testing prisoners and marriage-license applicants. Favors ``safe sex'' teaching, but geared only to upper grades. Opposes quarantine.

Michael Dukakis. Opposes mandatory testing, except in limited areas, such as military, foreign service, and immigrants. Favors government support for voluntary testing. Says ``there is no such thing as safe sex.'' Favors comprehensive health education in the early grades as best means to combat AIDS.

Richard Gephardt. Opposes mandatory testing as counterproductive because it forces some people at risk of AIDS to go underground. Favors education on ``safe sex'' and condoms. Opposes quarantine.

Albert Gore Jr. Says ``mandatory testing won't help without a cure.'' Mandatory testing also wastes limited resources which ``should be focused on those at high risk who currently must wait as long as three months to be tested.'' Favors an all-out education effort on all means to prevent spread of the disease.

Jesse Jackson. Opposes mandatory testing. Favors sex education, but opposes passing out condoms in schools. Says that teaching abstinence as a preventive method should have high priority in the schools. Opposes quarantine.

Paul Simon. Favors mandatory testing for prisoners and new immigrants. Opposes testing for illegal aliens already here. Opposes testing to obtain marriage licenses. Favors ``safe sex'' education in high schools, opposes it in elementary schools. Opposes quarantine.

Patricia Schroeder. Opposes testing for marriage-license applicants. Unsure about prisoners and immigrants. Strongly advocates ``safe sex'' education. Opposes quarantine.