DATE=4/9/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CIA-EMBASSY (L) (CQ)
NUMBER=2-261095
BYLINE=DAVID SWAN
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The U-S Central Intelligence Agency has
disciplined several employees blamed for mistakes that
led to last year's bombing of the Chinese embassy in
Belgrade. The bombing, during last year's air war
over Kosovo, case badly damaged U-S / Chinese
relations, and brought repeated calls from Beijing for
punishment. V-O-A's David Swan has details.
TEXT: Eleven months after the deadly attack, the
C-I-A is moving against those involved. In an unusual
public statement, the agency concedes the blame covers
numerous individuals at all levels of responsibility.
Officials say one mid-level employee was fired (this
past week). Six others, including a senior officer
and four managers, received administrative
punishments, such as warnings or letters of reprimand,
which also bar them from raises or promotions for a
year.
The trouble began when the C-I-A was asked to help
find targets for the allied planes that were pounding
Yugoslavia to stop the government's assault on Kosovo
province. Investigators determined that CIA
employees, using an outdated map and faulty
techniques, mistakenly labeled the embassy as a
Yugoslav supply directorate that was actually hundreds
of meters away.
The information was then passed to the Pentagon, which
used it to launch a nighttime strike on the building
last May. The bombing killed three Chinese, wounded
20 others, and caused a major breach in relations
between Washington and Beijing. Among other things,
the Chinese government demanded punishment for those
involved.
A C-I-A spokesman (Bill Harlow) says the agency has
stood up and taken appropriate responsibility for its
mistakes. A lawyer (Roy Kreiger) for one of the men
who was reprimanded disputes that view. He says his
client and the others are merely scapegoats and it is
unjust to blame individuals when a system is at fault.
(Signed)
NEB/DS/WTW
09-Apr-2000 11:13 AM EDT (09-Apr-2000 1513 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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