DATE=9/2/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-238021
TITLE=CHINA / ISRAEL (L ONLY)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ISRAEL HAS JOINED THE LIST OF COUNTRIES EXPRESSING
CONCERN OVER NORTH KOREA'S TEST-FIRING OF A BALLISTIC MISSILE
EARLIER THIS WEEK, WITH DEFENSE MINISTER YITZHAK MORDECHAI
CALLING THE LAUNCH A DANGEROUS DEVELOPMENT. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT
ROGER WILKISON REPORTS MR. MORDECHAI -- WHO IS ON A VISIT TO
CHINA -- MET FOR 90 MINUTES WEDNESDAY WITH CHINESE PRESIDENT
JIANG ZEMIN, A REFLECTION OF THE CLOSE MILITARY RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.
TEXT: EMERGING FROM HIS MEETING WITH THE CHINESE LEADER, MR.
MORDECHAI SAID NORTH KOREA'S MISSILE TEST IS DOUBLY DANGEROUS,
FIRST BECAUSE IT SHOWS NORTH KOREA HAS SUCH A CAPABILITY AND,
SECOND, BECAUSE NORTH KOREA HAS CLOSE TIES TO IRAN AND SYRIA,
BOTH OF THEM STAUNCH FOES OF ISRAEL.
ISRAELI OFFICIALS SAY NORTH KOREA IS HELPING IRAN DEVELOP ITS
MISSILE CAPABILITY. ONE OFFICIAL SAYS MR. MORDECHAI DISCUSSED
IRAN'S CLOSE TIES TO CHINA WITH PRESIDENT JIANG AND PORTRAYED THE
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC AS A DANGER TO STABILITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
ISRAEL SAYS IT HAS RECEIVED ASSURANCES FROM CHINA THAT BEIJING
WILL NOT HELP IRAN BUILD A NUCLEAR REACTOR, BUT SOME ISRAELI
AND AMERICAN DEFENSE ANALYSTS SAY CHINA IS STILL TRANSFERRING
WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY TO IRAN.
MR. MORDECHAI, WHO HAS ALREADY VISITED DEFENSE PLANTS IN THE
NORTHWESTERN CHINESE CITY OF XI'AN AND A NAVAL BASE IN SHANGHAI,
IS TRAVELLING WITH THE HEADS OF NINE OF ISRAEL'S BIGGEST WEAPONS
MANUFACTURERS. ALTHOUGH BOTH ISRAEL AND CHINA ARE NOTORIOUSLY
SECRETIVE ABOUT THEIR DEFENSE DEALS, REPORTS FROM ISRAEL SUGGEST
THE ARMS MANUFACTURERS WANT TO REVERSE A FIVE-YEAR DECLINE IN
WEAPONS SALES TO BEIJING. MR. MORDECHAI SAID ON MONDAY HE HOPES
CHINA'S DRIVE TO MODERNIZE ITS ARMY WILL RESULT IN LARGE ARMS
CONTRACTS FOR ISRAEL.
ISRAELI OFFICIALS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEIR COUNTRY'S ARMS SALES TO
CHINA BEGAN ABOUT 1980, LONG BEFORE FORMAL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES WERE ESTABLISHED IN 1992. DEFENSE
ANALYSTS SAY ISRAEL MADE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THE DEALS
DURING THE 1980'S, MAINLY ON TANK AND AIRCRAFT UPGRADES, BUT AN
ISRAELI DIPLOMAT SAYS SALES OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS HAVE DROPPED
TO LESS THAN 50-MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. WESTERN EXPERTS IN
BEIJING, HOWEVER, SAY ISRAELI ARMS DEALS WITH CHINA ARE WORTH
MORE THAN 100-MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR AND THAT ISRAEL IS CHINA'S
BIGGEST WEAPONS SUPPLIER, AFTER RUSSIA.
/// REST OPT ///
ISRAEL HAS CONSISTENTLY DENIED ALLEGATIONS THAT IT TRANSFERRED
U-S TECHNOLOGY TO CHINA FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHINESE F-10
FIGHTER PLANE. BUT IT REFUSES TO DISCUSS THE F-10 PROJECT OR SAY
WHETHER IT IS INVOLVED IN IT. THE ONLY DEFENSE DEAL WITH CHINA
(THAT) ISRAELI OFFICIALS ARE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT IS A
250-MILLION-DOLLAR PROJECT TO EQUIP A RUSSIAN-BUILT TRANSPORT
PLANE WITH ADVANCED RADAR AND WARNING SYSTEMS, SO THE CHINESE CAN
USE IT AS A SURVEILLANCE AIRCRAFT. (SIGNED)
NEB/RW/FC/WTW
02-Sep-98 4:58 AM EDT (0858 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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