Tracking Number: 323905
Title: "Woolsey: US Remains Concerned over Iran's Weapons Program." Portions of remarks of CIA Director R James Woolsey on Middle East affairs as prepared for testimony before
the Senate Intelligence Committee including US concern over Iran's continued effort to modernize its military and develop weapons of mass destruction. (940126)
Date: 19940126
Text:
*NEA306
01/26/94 *
WOOLSEY: U.S. REMAINS CONCERNED OVER IRAN'S WEAPONS PROGRAM (Excerpt: CIA director's Senate testimony, 1/25/94) (950) Washington -- The United States remains "especially concerned" over Iran's continuing effort to modernize its military program and pursue the development of weapons of mass destruction, James Woolsey, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, told a U.S. Senate committee January 25.
"Iran remains determined to maintain its implacable hostility, to eliminate any opposition to its rule, and to undermine our security interests and those of our friends and allies in the region," Woolsey said in testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
Woolsey said Iran continues to use terrorism as "a central tool" to accomplish these objectives and that Iranian support for terrorist groups in the region has not abated.
Concerning Iraq, Woolsey underscored the impact United Nations sanctions and weapons inspections have had on deterring Baghdad's attempts to rebuild its weapons of mass destruction program. "The importance of sanctions and monitoring cannot be overstated," he said.
"Because of the unprecedented information the intelligence community has given to the U.N. Special Commission since 1991 to track down and eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, we have destroyed a far larger share of Iraq's capability in this area than was destroyed during the (gulf) war itself," he said.
Commenting on Syria and the Middle East peace process, Woolsey said the United States stands "ready to do all we can to help monitor any agreement" reached between Israel and Syria regarding the Golan Heights.
Woolsey stressed that the United States will continue "vigorous counter-terrorism intelligence efforts to help keep the opponents of the peace process at bay."
Following is an excerpt on the Middle East from Woolsey's prepared testimony, which focused on worldwide potential threats to U.S. security:
(BEGIN EXCERPT) The Middle East Let me turn now to the Middle East, beginning first with the peace process. American resolve over the years in standing up to extremists and opponents of the peace process, willingness to explore any avenue to advance that process, and persistence in encouraging the parties themselves to work directly together for peace, have helped to bring about this step toward an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Still, much needs to be done. The road to the signing of the Israeli-PLO accord was tortuous and dramatic; the road to a comprehensive settlement will be no less arduous, and will require determination and vision. It will also require help from the United States, including help from the intelligence community. There are four ways we are assisting this process.
First, we are providing daily, intense intelligence support to our negotiators involved in the peace process.
Second, we are continuing our liaison efforts with intelligence services throughout the region to help nurture an atmosphere of confidence and trust.
Third, as we have for 20 years, we are continuing to use our unique intelligence capabilities to monitor existing peace agreements in the Sinai and Golan. If there is a breakthrough leading to a comprehensive settlement on the Golan Heights -- a goal of the president's discussion earlier this month with President Assad in Geneva -- we stand ready to do all we can to help monitor any agreement.
Fourth, we are continuing vigorous counter-terrorism intelligence efforts to help keep the opponents of the peace process at bay. The decades of hot war and cold peace have come at too high a price for us to allow terrorist groups and nations which support them to strangle our hopes for peace in the Middle East.
Mr. Chairman, there are other dangers in the region, especially those stemming from Iran and Iraq and their efforts to obtain weapons of mass destruction and to support terrorism.
On Iran, I wish I could tell this committee that 15 years after the triumph of the extremists, the voices of hate have given way to the policies of moderation. But there is no basis for such a view. Iran remains determined to maintain its implacable hostility, to eliminate any opposition to its rule, and to undermine our security interests and those of our friends and allies in the region. Terrorism remains a central tool for Iran's leaders in seeking to accomplish these objectives, and Iranian support for Hizballah and other such groups from Algeria to Tajikistan has not abated.
We are especially concerned that Iran continues to develop its ambitious multibillion dollar military modernization program and to pursue development of weapons of mass destruction. The intelligence community estimates that left to its own devices Iran will take at least 8-10 years to build its own nuclear weapons, but that it will try to shortcut this process by buying nuclear material and ballistic missiles.
Over the past year the intelligence community has been instrumental in the ongoing, intensive, dialogue with our European allies to outline for them the continued threats posed by Iran. The administration intends to expand these consultations with our friends and allies in the Far East as well, and we will play a key role in these discussions.
Mr. Chairman, there are no easy or quick solutions to the threats posed by these two rogue regimes. For years to come, the intelligence community will continue to require the necessary resources to monitor their military programs, to uncover their attempts to establish clandestine procurement networks aimed at obtaining material and expertise for development of weapons of mass destruction, and to support terrorist activity. It was less than a year ago that Saddam attempted an audacious and outrageous crime -- the assassination of a former American president. We cannot relax our guard against such governments.
(END EXCERPT) NNNN
File Identification: 01/26/94, NEA306; 01/27/94, NAA404
Product Name: Wireless File
Product Code: WF
Languages: Arabic
Keywords: WOOLSEY, R
JAMES/Speaker; MIDDLE EAST-US RELATIONS; IRAN/Defense & Military; MILITARY TECHNOLOGY; SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH; MILITARY CAPABILITIES; SENATE SELECT CMTE ON ETHICS; CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY; SANCTIONS; UNITED NATIONS; AN
Document Type: TXT; EXC
Thematic Codes: 1ME; 1NE; 2FP; 2TE
Target Areas: NE
PDQ Text Link: 323905
USIA Notes: *94012606.NEA Woolsey excerpts: Middle East/#rm yb AS kf
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