Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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)
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Source: Voice of America
.