DATE=6/14/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA SATELLITE FINE (S & L)
NUMBER=2-263481
BYLINE=PAULA WOLFSON
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The Lockheed Martin Corporation -- the world's
largest defense equipment contractor -- has agreed to
pay a 13-million-dollar fine to the U-S government.
The fine settles a case involving the sale of
satellite technology to China. V-O-A's Paula Wolfson
has details.
TEXT: The State Department says Lockheed Martin
illegally helped China acquire technology with
military applications.
The corporation is not admitting guilt. But in a
written statement, a Lockheed Martin spokesman
stressed his company recognizes the need to protect
national security through strict regulatory controls.
The case dates back to 1994, when Lockheed Martin
agreed to help fix problems with a Chinese rocket used
to launch commercial satellites. Lockheed Martin
later sent a report on its findings to a Hong-Kong
based satellite company with ties to the Chinese
government.
Most of the report was never cleared with the
Pentagon, as required by law. While Lockheed Martin
said it did nothing wrong, U-S government officials
stressed any assistance to China's space launch
program could be applied to missile development.
/// REST OPT FOR LONG ///
The financial settlement came close to the maximum
penalty of 15-million dollars. Under terms of the
agreement, Lockheed Martin will be allowed to use five
million to install a computer monitoring system at its
plants that would give the U-S government access to
information on all its foreign space and missile
contracts.
The agreement follows tough criticism from the
Republican-led Congress of the Clinton
administration's policy on technology deals with
China. The fine against Lockheed Martin is believed
to be the largest civil penalty ever imposed under the
Arms Export Control Act, which regulates sales of
technology abroad. (signed)
NEB/PW/JP
14-Jun-2000 13:05 PM EDT (14-Jun-2000 1705 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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