DATE=3/17/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246791
TITLE=CHINA NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY
BYLINE=GIL BUTLER
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AS THE VISIT TO WASHINGTON BY CHINESE PREMIER ZHU RONGJI
APPROACHES, A WIDESPREAD DEBATE HAS BEEN SPARKED OVER REPORTS
THAT AN EMPLOYE AT A GOVERNMENT NUCLEAR LABORATORY HAD GIVEN
SECRET TECHNOLOGY TO CHINA. VOA'S GIL BUTLER ATTENDED A BRIEFING
ON THE SPY ALLEGATIONS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE SPONSORED BY THE
CARNEGIE ENDOWMAN FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE, A WASHINGTON POLICY
RESEARCH INSTITUTION.
TEXT: THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN CRITICIZED IN THE NEWS
MEDIA AND BY POLITICAL OPPONENTS FOR ALLEGEDLY ACTING LESS THAN
EXPEDITIOUSLY TO TIGHTEN SECURITY AT THE NUCLEAR LABORATORY AFTER
WARNINGS THAT A SCIENTIST HAD PASSED ON SECRETS TO THE CHINESE.
CHINESE PREMIER ZHU HAS STRONGLY DENIED THAT HIS COUNTRY STOLE
AMERICAN NUCLEAR SECRETS, BUT U-S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SANDY
BERGER SAID THERE WAS NO QUESTION BUT THAT CHINA HAS BENEFITED.
PRESIDENTIAL NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISORS HAVE DEFENDED THE
ADMINISTRATION'S ACTIONS TO TIGHTEN SECURITY.
THE CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT'S JOSEPH CIRINCIONE ARGUES THAT EVEN IF
ALL THE ALLEGATIONS ABOUT THE NUCLEAR THEFT ARE TRUE, IT WILL BE
MANY YEARS BEFORE CHINA COULD DEVELOP A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF
LONG RANGE NUCLEAR MISSILES AND EVEN THEN, THE UNITED STATES
WOULD STILL HAVE A LARGE STRATEGIC SUPERIORITY.
/// CIRINCIONE ACT ///
THE BOTTOM LINE? EVEN IN A WORSE CASE, THE SOME TOTAL
OF ALL THESE ALLEGATIONS HAS LITTLE OR NO IMPACT ON THE
NATIONAL SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES.
/// END ACT ///
SOME PARTICIPANTS IN THE BRIEFING TOOK ISSUE WITH THAT, SAYING
INCREASED CHINESE NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES WOULD SURELY HAVE AN
IMPACT ON NON PROLIFERATION PROSPECTS AND WOULD BE A THREAT TO
THE EAST ASIAN REGION.
MUCH OF THE DEBATE IN WASHINGTON HAS BEEN OVER WHETHER THE
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION ACTED QUICKLY ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH SECURITY
LAPSES AT NUCLEAR WEAPONS LABORATORIES. THE ALLEGED TECHNOLOGY
THEFTS THEMSELVES GO BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATIONS OF PREVIOUS
REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTS.
GARY SAMORE, A PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR ON NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION
ISSUES SAID THEN-ENERGY SECRETARY FREDERICO PENA STARTED THE
SECURITY CHANGES AFTER RECEIVING AN F-B-I REPORT AND THE CURRENT
SECRETARY, BILL RICHARDSON HAS CONTINUED THE PROCESS.
/// OPT/// SAMORE ACT ///
SINCE SECRETARY RICHARDSON TOOK OVER AT ENERGY IN
SEPTEMBER OF 1998, HE HAS VIGOROUSLY CONTINUED THIS
PROCESS. HE HAS HIRED COUNTER INTELLIGENCE
PROFESSIONALS TO BE STATIONED AT U-S LABS. THEY HAVE
TIGHTENED THE SCREENING AND APPROVAL PROCEDURES FOR
FOREIGN SCIENTISTS SEEKING ACCESS TO THE LABS AND HAVE
INSTITUTED MORE EXTENSIVE SECURITY REVIEWS, INCLUDING
THE USE OF POLYGRAPHS (LIE DETECTORS) FOR D-O-E
SCIENTISTS WORKING IN SENSITIVE PROGRAMS.
/// END ACT /// END OPT ///
MR. SAMORE ALSO ARGUES THAT TECHNOLOGY EXPORTS TO CHINA ARE
STRICTLY CONTROLLED TO PREVENT THEIR BEING CONVERTED TO MILITARY
USE.
/// OPT ///AND, HE SAID CHINA HAS COOPERATED BY ENDING NUCLEAR
WEAPONS ASSITANCE TO PAKISTAN, STOPPING NUCLEAR AND CRUISE
MISSILE SALES TO IRAN AND HELPING THE UNITED STATES GAIN ACCESS
TO A SUSPICIOUS N/O/R/T/H K/O/R/E/A/N U/N/D/E/R/G/R/O/U/N/D
F/A/C/I/L/I/T/I/E/S.
/// SAMORE ACT ///
OUR ENGAGEMENT POLICY WITH CHINA WORKS BOTH WAYS.
THROUGH VIGOROUS INVESTIGATIONS, STRONG SECURITY AND
STRICT EXPORT CONTROLS WE CAN PROTECT SENSITIVE
TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION. THROUGH COOPERATION WITH
BEIJING WE CAN ADVANCE OUR CRITICAL NATIONAL SECURITY
OBJECTIVES.
/// END ACT ///END OPT ///
THE NUCLEAR SPYING DEBATE SHOWS NO SIGNS OF DISAPPEARING ANY TIME
SOON IN WASHINGTON AND WILL CERTAINLY REMAIN AN ISSUE WHEN
PREMIER ZHU RONGJI VISITS HERE EARLY NEXT MONTH. (SIGNED)
NEB/MGB/PT
17-Mar-99 5:48 PM EST (2248 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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