DATE=12/11/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-242849
TITLE=RUSSIA / U-S (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A HIGH-LEVEL U-S DELEGATION VISITING MOSCOW HAS URGED
RUSSIA TO TAKE STRONGER MEASURES TO PREVENT THE TRANSFER OF
MISSILE TECHNOLOGY TO IRAN. FROM THE RUSSIAN CAPITAL, V-O-A'S
PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS ON THE OUTCOME OF TWO DAYS OF FRANK
BILATERAL TALKS.
TEXT: A SENIOR CLINTON ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL SAYS THE TRANSFER
OF MISSILE AND NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY TO IRAN REMAINS A TROUBLESOME
PIECE OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND
RUSSIA.
THE OFFICIAL, SPEAKING ON CONDITION OF ANONYMITY, SAID DEPUTY
SECRETARY OF STATE STROBE TALBOTT MADE THE POINT IN "THE CLEAREST
POSSIBLE TERMS" DURING TALKS FRIDAY WITH RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER
YEVGENY PRIMAKOV.
THE OFFICIAL TOLD REPORTERS THE TECHNOLOGY-TRANSFER ISSUE
RECEIVED A GREAT DEAL OF ATTENTION IN VIRTUALLY EVERY MEETING
BETWEEN RUSSIAN AND U-S OFFICIALS IN TWO DAYS OF WIDE-RANGING
TALKS. BUT HE DESCRIBED PROGRESS ON SETTLING THE MATTER AS
"INSUFFICIENT," ADDING "THE PROBLEM PERSISTS."
MR. TALBOTT WAS AT THE HEAD OF A DELEGATION OF SENIOR U-S
OFFICIALS THAT ALSO INCLUDED DEPUTY TREASURY SECRETARY LAWRENCE
SUMMERS, AND A NUMBER OF EXPERTS ON NUCLEAR AND BALLISTIC MISSILE
TRANSFERS.
THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE AUTHORITATIVE MILITARY MAGAZINE "JANE'S
INTELLIGENCE REVIEW" REPORTS IRAN HAS AN ADVANCED BALLISTIC
MISSILE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING THE
ABILITY TO PROCURE A ROCKET WITH A RANGE OF UP TO SIX-THOUSAND
KILOMETERS.
THE NEW YORK TIMES (NEWSPAPER) THIS WEEK REPORTED THE TEHRAN
GOVERNMENT WAS SEARCHING THE FORMER SOVIET UNION FOR SCIENTISTS
ONCE INVOLVED IN GERM WARFARE PROGRAMS. THE TIMES ARTICLE SAID
SOME SCIENTISTS HAD BEEN SUCCESSFULLY RECRUITED.
RUSSIA IS ALSO HELPING IRAN BUILD A NUCLEAR-POWER PLANT, BUT
SAYS THE PROJECT IS ONLY FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY. A RUSSIAN
FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SAYS MOSCOW IS NOT PROVIDING IRAN
WITH ANY TECHNOLOGY TO BUILD WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
THE SENIOR U-S OFFICIAL BRIEFING REPORTERS FRIDAY SAID RUSSIA IS
TAKING THE TECHNOLOGY-TRANSFER ISSUE SERIOUSLY, BUT THAT MUCH
HARD WORK IS STILL AHEAD TO IRON OUT DIFFERENCES.
// OPT // THE TALBOTT-SUMMERS DELEGATION ALSO DISCUSSED RUSSIA'S
EFFORTS TO PULL OUT OF WHAT A U-S OFFICIAL DESCRIBED AS "AN
IMMENSE, PROFOUND AND VERY VEXING ECONOMIC DILEMMA". BUT AS ONE
SENIOR U-S OFFICIAL EXPLAINED, "WE DID NOT COME WITH A
CHECKBOOK".
THE OFFICIAL SAID THE DELEGATION GOT A "VIVID APPRECIATION" OF
HOW SERIOUS RUSSIA'S ECONOMIC PROBLEM IS. BUT HE TOLD REPORTERS
"WE AGREED IT IS RUSSIAN POLICY THAT IS THE KEY TO RUSSIA'S
ECONOMIC RECOVERY," RATHER THAN OUTSIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
RUSSIA'S GOVERNMENT THIS WEEK APPROVED A 1999 BUDGET THAT RELIES
HEAVILY ON BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FOREIGN LOAN MONEY. BUT
EXPERTS SAY THAT ASSUMPTION IS QUESTIONABLE. A
22-POINT-SIX-BILLION-DOLLAR LOAN PACKAGE WAS SUSPENDED AFTER
RUSSIA EFFECTIVELY DEFAULTED ON LOAN PAYMENTS THIS YEAR. // END
OPT //
THE U-S DELEGATION DID GET SOME GOOD NEWS DURING ITS MOSCOW
VISIT: WORD THAT THE PRIMAKOV GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO GETTING
THE START-TWO ARMS TREATY RATIFIED BY DECEMBER 25TH.
RATIFICATION WOULD CLEAR THE WAY FOR NEGOTIATIONS ON A
START-THREE TREATY WHEN SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT
VISITS MOSCOW SHORTLY AFTER THE NEW YEAR. (SIGNED)
NEB/PFH/WTW
11-Dec-98 5:19 PM EST (2219 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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