DATE= 9/28/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-220520
TITLE=U-S / RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=MAXIM KNIAZKOV
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE U-S GOVERNMENT AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAVE
JOINED IN A NEW INITIATIVE TO CLOSER CONNECT AMERICAN BUSINESSES
WITH SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH CENTERS IN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE. V-O-A'S
MAXIM KNIAZKOV HAS MORE ON THE PROJECT, WHICH ALSO AIMS TO
PREVENT WEAPONS PROLIFERATION.
TEXT: THE PROGRAM IS CALLED -- TECH-CONNECT. MANAGED BY THE U-S
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN COOPERATION WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT, IT
IS MEANT TO BECOME A RELIABLE COMMUNICATION CHANNEL AMONG
HIGH-TECH U-S COMPANIES AND THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITIES OF RUSSIA
AND UKRAINE.
PROJECT DIRECTOR GARY LITMAN SAYS THE PROGRAM IS PART OF AN
ONGOING EFFORT TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF DEFENSE TECHNOLOGIES
OUTSIDE THE FORMER SOVIET UNION.
/// ACT-ONE LITMAN ///
THE NEW THING ABOUT THIS IS THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME THE
PRIVATE SECTOR IS GETTING SERIOUSLY INVOLVED. AND OUR
JOB WOULD BE TO MAKE SURE U-S COMPANIES UNDERSTAND HOW
TO WORK WITH RUSSIA WEAPONS SCIENTISTS AND HAVE ACCESS
TO THEM.
/// END ACT ///
THE PROGRAM WAS BORN OUT OF WESTERN CONCERN THAT WITH THE END OF
THE COLD WAR, FORMER SOVIET WEAPONS SCIENTISTS MAY BE TEMPTED TO
SELL THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. PARTICULARLY TO
SUCH ROGUE NATIONS AS IRAN, IRAQ, AND LIBYA -- WHICH ARE ACCUSED
OF TRYING TO BUILD ARSENALS OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
TO KEEP THESE RESEARCHERS BUSY, WESTERN COUNTRIES HAVE SPENT
ABOUT 190-MILLION DOLLARS TO FUND NEARLY 600 SCIENTIFIC PROJECTS
IN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE. THESE ALLOCATIONS BENEFIT MORE THAN
17-THOUSAND FORMER SOVIET RESEARCHERS, WORKING IN SUCH FIELDS AS
BIOTECHNOLOGY, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AVIATION, AND SPACE
EXPLORATION.
NOW, SAYS MR. LITMAN, THE TIME HAS COME TO ESTABLISH A CLOSER
LINK BETWEEN FORMER SOVIET SCIENTISTS AND U-S BUSINESSES, WHICH
MAY BE INTERESTED IN THE PRODUCTS OF THEIR RESEARCH. MR. LITMAN
SAYS, THROUGH TECH-CONNECT, U-S COMPANIES WILL BE ABLE TO SEEK
SERVICES FROM RUSSIAN OR UKRAINIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS.
/// ACT TWO LITMAN ///
AN AMERICAN COMPANY CAN EITHER WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE
SCIENTIST, WHO HAS NOW BEEN CLEARED BY THE GOVERNMENTS,
OR IT CAN WORK WITH THE SCIENTIST OR GROUP OF SCIENTISTS
THROUGH OUR CENTERS IN MOSCOW OR KIEV, USING OUR STAFF
THERE.
/// END ACT ///
MR. LITMAN SAYS IN ESTABLISHING TECH-CONNECT, U-S OFFICIALS HAVE
BEEN WORKING IN CLOSE COOPERATION WITH RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN
GOVERNMENTS. HE SAYS THE U-S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAILED THE
INITIATIVE AS BENEFICIAL TO BOTH THE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS AND
THE U-S BUSINESS COMMUNITY. (SIGNED)
NEB/MAX/RAE
28-Sep-97 1:21 PM EDT (1721 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
