DATE=05/26/99
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-11309
TITLE=CHINA / U-S NUCLEAR SECRETS
BYLINE=GARY EDQUIST
TELEPHONE=619-2702
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
INTRO: MANY U-S NEWSPAPERS ARE COMMENTING ABOUT THE
CONGRESSIONAL REPORT ACCUSING CHINA OF STEALING NUCLEAR DATA. WE
HAVE SOME SAMPLES OF THE EDITORIALS NOW FROM ____________ IN
TODAY'S U-S OPINION ROUNDUP.
TEXT: A LONG ANTICIPATED REPORT (RELEASED TUESDAY) SAYS CHINA IS
DEVELOPING NEW NUCLEAR WEAPONS USING ADVANCED DESIGNS STOLEN FROM
THE UNITED STATES SINCE THE EARLY 1970'S. BEIJING HAS FLATLY
DENIED THE CHARGES, CALLING THEM A PLOY TO DEMONIZE CHINA. ///
OPT /// PRESIDENT CLINTON SAYS HIS ADMINISTRATION IS MOVING
AGGRESSIVELY TO TIGHTEN SECURITY AT NUCLEAR LABORATORIES, AND
WILL WORK WITH CONGRESS TO STRENGTHEN TECHNOLOGY SAFEGUARDS. HE
ALSO SAYS HIS ADMINISTRATION WILL CONTINUE DEALING WITH CHINA,
NOTING THAT BILATERAL RELATIONS ARE IN THE U-S NATIONAL INTEREST.
/// END OPT /// "THE WASHINGTON POST" WRITES THAT FINDING A
BALANCE BETWEEN TIGHT SECURITY AND OPENNESS WILL NEVER BE EASY.
VOICE: THOSE SAME THOUSANDS OF CHINESE WHO REPRESENT AN ALLEGED
SECURITY THREAT WHILE HERE (IN THE UNITED STATES) ALSO
OFFER HOPE FOR WARMER U-S-CHINESE TIES AND BETTER
UNDERSTANDING IN THE FUTURE. CLAMPING DOWN ON
INFORMATION FLOWS WITHIN U-S NUCLEAR LABS MIGHT STYMIE
(STOP) SOME CHINESE SPIES BUT WOULD ALSO SLOW AMERICAN
SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS. ... IT DOES NOT FOLLOW THAT THE
UNITED STATES SHOULD TREAT CHINA AS AN ENEMY. BUT
NEITHER DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR THE UNITED STATES TO OPEN
ITS STRATEGIC POCKETS AND ALLOW CHINA TO HELP ITSELF.
TEXT: THE "OMAHA WORLD HERALD" LABELED ITS EDITORIAL ABOUT THE
SPY CASE, "AMERICA THE BUMBLING," NOTING:
VOICE: /// OPT /// IN THE 1950'S, ETHEL AND JULIUS ROSENBERG
WERE CONVICTED AND PUT TO DEATH FOR THEIR ROLE IN THE
TRANSFER OF H-BOMB SECRETS TO THE SOVIETS. IF AMERICAN
NOWADAYS FEEL ANY COMPARABLE SENSE OF BETRAYAL, IT IS
NOT WIDELY EVIDENT. /// END OPT /// PRESIDENT CLINTON,
WHOSE MAIN COMMENT ON THE MATTER HAS BEEN CONTRADICTORY
AND SELF-SERVING, WAS IN FLORIDA VACATIONING WHEN THE
REPORT CAME OUT. NEVER MIND THAT THIS IS A SITUATION
THAT CALLS FOR LEADERSHIP AND REASSURANCE. THE MOST THE
PUBLIC GETS FROM ITS PRESIDNET AT THIS LAMENTABLE MOMENT
IS A DENIAL OF CULPABILITY AND A LAME CLAIM OF HAVING
TRIED TO END THE HEMORRHAGING OF SECRETS ONCE IT BECAME
KNOWN.
TEXT: FROM LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK, "NEWSDAY" HAS THIS ADVICE
ABOUT THE THEFT OF NUCLEAR SECRETS.
VOICE: ...THIS REPORT CAN NOT BE IGNORED. THE SECURITY
BLUNDERS UNCOVERED BY HOUSE (OF REPRESENTATIVES)
INVESTIGATORS MUST NOT BE REPEATED IF THE UNITED STATES
EXPECTS ITS SECRETS TO REMAIN SECRET. /// OPT /// YES,
THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE MORE SELECTIVE ABOUT WHAT IT
CHOOSES TO CLASSIFY, BUT ONCE THE CHOICE IS MADE,
CLASSIFIED MATERIAL MUST BE SHIELDED FAR MORE SECURELY
THAN IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN FOR THE PAST TWO DECADES.
/// END OPT /// ... (PRESIDENT) CLINTON AND
CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS MAY BE MORTAL ENEMIES, BUT
RIGHT NOW THEY BOTH OWE THE NATION A REASONED,
BIPARTISAN PLAN TO HEAD OFF FURTHER DAMAGE TO NUCLEAR
SECURITY.
TEXT: IN PORTLAND, OREGON, "THE OREGONIAN" WRITES THAT PERHAPS
THE MOST INTERESTING ASPECT OF THE REPORT IS ITS EFFECT ON
AMERICAN POLICIES TOWARD CHINA. THE NEWSPAPER CONCLUDES THAT
"NOTHING MUCH HAS CHANGED."
VOICE: CONGRESS SOON WILL BEGIN ITS DEBATE OVER WHETHER TO GRANT
CHINA 'MOST FAVORED NATION' TRADING STATUS FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
ANALYSTS EXPECT IT TO BE APPROVED. WHY? WELL, FOR ONE THING,
CHINA IS TOO BIG TO IGNORE. /// OPT /// THE POTENTIAL OF CHINESE
MARKETS -- THOUGH UNREALIZED -- REMAINS GREAT. FOR ANOTHER, AN
AMERICAN TRADE FEUD WITH CHINA HURTS AMERICAN INTERESTS MORE THAN
IT DOES CHINESE. /// END OPT /// ... AND IT IS CLEAR, THE
ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO BETTER SORT OUT AMERICAN INTERESTS HERE.
IT MAY BE THAT PRESIDENTS BUSH AND REAGAN WERE BLIND TO CHINA'S
ULTERIOR MOTIVES TOWARD US...
TEXT: FINALLY, THERE IS THIS ADVICE FROM "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES"
ABOUT THE SPY REPORT.
VOICE: WASHINGTON'S RESPONSE TO WHAT UNDOUBTEDLY IS A MASSIVE
BREACH OF SECURITY SHOULD BE TO IMPROVE SAFEGUARDS.
INTENSIFYING CHINA BASHING AND THREATENING ECONOMIC
RETALIATION WOULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM BUT CERTAINLY
WOULD WIDEN THE U-S-CHINA BREACH.
TEXT: WITH THAT COMMENT, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF U-S
EDITORIAL COMMENT.
NEB/GE/RAE
26-May-99 2:41 PM EDT (1841 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
