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DATE=7/15/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235477
TITLE=ISRAEL / RUSSIA / IRAN (L)
BYLINE=AL PESSIN
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  THE HEAD OF RUSSIA'S MAIN SECURITY SERVICE IS IN ISRAEL 
FOR  TALKS EXPECTED TO INCLUDE RUSSIA'S SALES OF MISSILE 
TECHNOLOGY TO IRAN.  V-O-A'S AL PESSIN REPORTS FROM JERUSALEM.
TEXT:  THE HEAD OF RUSSIA'S FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE, NIKOLAI  
KOVALYOV, IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT COOPERATION WITH ISRAEL'S 
SECURITY SERVICES ON SUCH SUBJECTS AS STOPPING INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM AND ORGANIZED CRIME.
BUT ISRAELI OFFICIALS ALSO HAVE ANOTHER ISSUE HIGH ON THEIR 
AGENDA -- RUSSIA'S MILITARY RELATIONS WITH IRAN.
THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT IS OPPOSED TO THE SALE OF MISSILE 
TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER ADVANCED WEAPONRY TO IRAN.  BUT ISRAEL SAYS 
IT IS  NOT  DOING ENOUGH TO STOP SUCH SALES BY PRIVATE RUSSIAN 
COMPANIES.  A FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SAYS MR. KOVALYOV WILL 
BE ASKED TO DO MORE TO BLOCK THE PRIVATE SALES.
ISRAEL ALSO IS CONCERNED ABOUT A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT RUSSIA IS  
HELPING IRAN BUILD.  ISRAEL SAYS IT COULD BE PART OF A NUCLEAR 
WEAPONS PROGRAM, BUT BOTH RUSSIA AND IRAN DENY THE CHARGE. 
MR. KOVALYOV'S VISIT WAS KEPT SECRET UNTIL ISRAELI NEWSPAPERS 
BROKE THE STORY ON WEDNESDAY.  THE LIEUTENANT-GENERAL IS A FORMER
HEAD OF THE SOVIET K-G-B, AND HIS CURRENT AGENCY IS ONE OF THE 
K-G-B'S SUCCESSORS.  HE IS EXPECTED TO MEET WITH SEVERAL SENIOR 
OFFICIALS, INCLUDING PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, IN 
ADDITION TO HIS COUNTERPARTS IN ISRAEL'S SECURITY SERVICES.  
MR. KOVALYOV ALSO WILL MEET WITH ISRAEL'S MINISTER OF TRADE AND 
INDUSTRY, NATAN SHARANSKY, WHO WAS A SOVIET DISSIDENT IMPRISONED 
BY THE K-G-B FOR NINE YEARS BEFORE BEING ALLOWED TO IMMIGRATE TO 
ISRAEL IN 1986.  MINISTER SHARANSKY NOW SERVES AS A KEY ISRAELI 
LINK TO RUSSIA, AND HAS VISITED THERE SEVERAL TIMES SINCE TAKING 
OFFICE TWO YEARS AGO, INCLUDING A TRIP TO MOSCOW EARLIER THIS 
YEAR DURING WHICH HE MET WITH MR. KOVALYOV.  (SIGNED) 
NEB/AWP/JWH
15-Jul-98 8:13 AM EDT (1213 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.