DATE=8/10/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-236821
TITLE=ISRAEL / RUSSIA / IRAN (L ONLY)
BYLINE=MARK LAVIE
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: RUSSIA'S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER MEETS MONDAY WITH
ISRAEL'S DEFENSE MINISTER. MARK LAVIE IN JERUSALEM REPORTS
ISRAEL IS TRYING TO PERSUADE THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT TO STOP
RUSSIAN COMPANIES FROM SELLING MISSILE TECHNOLOGY TO IRAN.
TEXT: ISRAEL HAS BEEN STEPPING UP ITS PRESSURE ON RUSSIA SINCE
LAST MONTH, WHEN IRAN TEST-FIRED A LONG-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILE,
CALLED THE SHIBAB-3. WHEN OPERATIONAL, THE MISSILE WILL HAVE
ENOUGH RANGE TO TARGET ISRAEL AND OTHER NATIONS IN THE REGION,
INCLUDING SAUDI ARABIA, WHERE U-S TROOPS ARE STATIONED.
RUSSIAN NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER GENERAL ANDREI KOKOSHIN GOT A
LIST OF SPECIFIC COMPLAINTS FROM ISRAELI LEADERS AND INTELLIGENCE
OFFICERS. REPORTS THAT FOLLOWED THE IRANIAN MISSILE TEST
ATTRIBUTED THE TECHNOLOGY TO NORTH KOREA. BUT ISRAEL BELIEVES
RUSSIAN KNOW-HOW IS THE MAIN DRIVER IN THE IRANIAN LONG-RANGE
MISSILE PROGRAM.
ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE GAVE GENERAL KOKOSHIN SPECIFIC INFORMATION
ABOUT RUSSIAN COMPANIES ALLEGEDLY STILL SELLING MISSILE
TECHNOLOGY TO IRAN, DESPITE OFFICIAL DENIALS. BUT ISRAELI
SOURCES SAY SOME INFORMATION WAS HELD BACK, TO PROTECT ISRAEL'S
SOURCES INSIDE RUSSIA.
THE ISRAELI CABINET MINISTER APPOINTED TO HANDLE THE EFFORT TO
STOP IRAN'S MISSILE PROGRAM IS NATAN SHARANSKY, A RUSSIAN HUMAN
RIGHTS ACTIVIST BEFORE HE WAS ALLOWED TO EMIGRATE TO ISRAEL IN
1985. AN ISRAELI NEWSPAPER QUOTED MR. SHARANSKY AS CALLING THE
IRANIAN SHIHAB-3 MISSILE "JUNK," SAYING IT HAS LITTLE TECHNOLOGY
AND WAS TEST-FIRED FOR POLITICAL REASONS, TO SHOW THAT IRAN CAN
BE A REGIONAL POWER.
MR. SHARANSKY ALSO WARNED OF THE POTENTIAL OF REGIONAL
INSTABILITY RESULTING FROM IRAN'S MISSILE AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PROGRAM. AND HE MR. URGED GENERAL KOKOSHIN TO TAKE ACTION
AGAINST RUSSIAN COMPANIES. HE EMPHASIZED THAT DESPITE THE
IRANIAN MISSILE TEST, IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO STOP THE PROJECT.
ISRAELI OFFICIALS WARNED THAT IF THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT DOES
NOT TAKE ACTION, ISRAEL WILL RENEW ITS EFFORTS IN THE US
CONGRESS TO IMPOSE TRADE SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA.
GENERAL KOKOSHIN, A CLOSE ADVISER TO RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS
YELTSIN, REPLIED THAT FIRMS FROM OTHER NATIONS ARE ALSO SELLING
TECHNOLOGY TO IRAN. HE LISTED FRANCE, GERMANY, CHINA, AND THE
UNITED STATES. UNLIKE OTHER RUSSIAN OFFICIALS, HE DID NOT DENY
THAT THE TRANSFER OF RUSSIAN TECHNOLOGY TO IRAN CONTINUES.
(SIGNED)
NEB/ML/JWH
10-Aug-98 9:37 AM EDT (1337 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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