DATE=7/14/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-235459 TITLE=CHINA MISSILE REACT - L ONLY BYLINE=JIM RANDLE DATELINE=PENTAGON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: PENTAGON OFFICIALS DENY REPUBLICAN CHARGES THAT THEY ARE HIDING INFORMATION ABOUT TRANSFERS OF U-S MISSILE TECHNOLOGY TO CHINA. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS. TEXT: PENTAGON SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS SENT MANY WITNESSES AND 'TRUNKS AND TRUNKS' (LARGE QUANTITIES) OF DOCUMENTS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS BY CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES INVESTIGATING THE ISSUE. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER TRENT LOTT RELEASED AN INTERIM REPORT ON THE PROBE AND SAYS THE ADMINISTRATION IGNORED WARNINGS ABOUT SENSITIVE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS AND MAY HAVE PUT NATIONAL SECURITY AT RISK. BUT MR BACON SAYS OFFICIALS IN CHARGE OF WATCHING OVER MISSILE TECHNOLOGY AT THE PENTAGON, AND ELSEWHERE, DO NOT THINK CHINA MADE BETTER MISSILES WITH U-S INFORMATION. BUT A NEW WASHINGTON TIMES ARTICLE SAYS CHINA HAS A SYSTEM WHICH CAN PUT SEVERAL SATELLITES INTO ORBIT WITH JUST ONE ROCKET LAUNCH. A U-S COMPANY PAID CHINA TO PUT U-S COMMERCIAL COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITES INTO SPACE WITH THE SYSTEM. THE ARTICLE SAYS THE MULTIPLE SATELLITE SYSTEM IS A HUGE STEP TOWARD LAUNCHING MULTIPLE WARHEADS. THE PENTAGON'S MR. BACON SAYS THE STORY IS WRONG. /// BACON ACT /// RELEASING OR PARKING A SATELLITE IN ORBIT DOES NOT REQUIRE NEARLY AS MUCH PRECISION AS RELEASING MULTIPLE WARHEADS DOES. I THINK IT'S NOT THE SAME TECHNOLOGY. /// END ACT /// RELEASING MULTIPLE WARHEADS FROM EACH ROCKET WOULD MEAN EACH ROCKET COULD HIT SEVERAL TARGETS. BUT MR. BACON SAYS THE SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED BY CHINA WITHOUT U-S TECHNOLOGY BEFORE IT WON THE CONTRACT TO LAUNCH COMMERCIAL SATELLITES. (SIGNED). NEB/JR/JO 14-Jul-98 6:01 PM EDT (2201 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
