DATE=1/21/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42409
TITLE=U-S / RUSSIA / IRAN
BYLINE=ANDRE DE NESNERA
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: LAST WEEK, THE U-S GOVERNMENT IMPOSED SANCTIONS ON THREE
RUSSIAN RESEARCH CENTERS FOR ALLEGEDLY HELPING IRAN GAIN ACCESS
TO NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY. IN THIS REPORT FROM WASHINGTON, FORMER
V-O-A MOSCOW CORRESPONDENT ANDRE DE NESNERA SPOKE WITH AN EXPERT
ON NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION ABOUT THE SANCTIONS AND THE THREE
RUSSIAN RESEARCH CENTERS.
TEXT: THE U-S GOVERNMENT IMPOSED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON ONE
RUSSIAN UNIVERSITY AND TWO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INSTITUTES AFTER
CONCLUDING THEY HELPED IRAN DEVELOP NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND BALLISTIC
MISSILES. THE THREE INSTITUTIONS ARE THE "MOSCOW AVIATION
INSTITUTE," THE "MENDELEYEV UNIVERSITY OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY"
AND THE "SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND DESIGN INSTITUTE OF POWER
TECHNOLOGY."
THE U-S SANCTIONS MEAN THE THREE ORGANIZATIONS CANNOT PURCHASE
U-S MADE PRODUCTS OR EXPORT GOODS TO THE UNITED STATES. IN
ADDITION ALL U-S AID TO THE THREE IS CUT OFF.
GARY MILHOLLIN IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE "WISCONSIN (UNIVERSITY)
PROJECT ON NUCLEAR ARMS CONTROL." SINCE 1985, HIS ORGANIZATION
HAS BEEN DOING RESEARCH ON THE SPREAD OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND ON
THE MEANS TO DELIVER THEM. HE IS FAMILIAR WITH THE THREE RUSSIAN
INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR WORK WITH IRAN.
// MILHOLLIN ACT //
IT IS PRETTY CLEAR IN THE CASE OF THE "MOSCOW AVIATION
INSTITUTE" THAT IT HAS PROVIDED THE IRANIANS WITH
TRAINING IN TWO CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES: ROCKET PROPULSION
AND ROCKET GUIDANCE. THIS INSTITUTE SPECIALIZES IN
THOSE THINGS. IT CONDUCTS REALLY EXTENSIVE WORK IN
ROCKET DEVELOPMENT, IN ROCKET GUIDANCE DEVELOPMENT AND
SPACE SYSTEMS. AND SO IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PERFECT
PLACE TO TRAIN IRANIAN ROCKET ENGINEERS -- AND IT
APPARENTLY DID THAT.
// END ACT //
ACCORDING TO MR. MILHOLLIN, THE "SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND DESIGN
INSTITUTE OF POWER TECHNOLOGY" DESIGNS NUCLEAR REACTORS -- SUCH
AS THE ONE THAT BLEW UP AT CHERNOBYL. HE SAYS THE INSTITUTE
COULD PROVIDE IRAN WITH HELP IN A NUMBER OF NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGIES.
THE THIRD RUSSIAN INSTITUTE IS MOSCOW'S "MENDELEYEV UNIVERSITY OF
CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY." MR. MILHOLLIN SAYS IT DEVELOPS NUCLEAR
REACTORS AND WORKS ON NUCLEAR FUEL.
// 2ND MILHOLLIN ACT //
IT DOES GLASS AND GLASS CERAMICS FOR NUCLEAR POWER
ENGINEERING. IT ALSO WORKS ON AEROSPACE MATERIALS. AND
THE U-S GOVERNMENT HAS FOUND THAT IT HELPED THE IRANIANS
IN THE NUCLEAR AREA. ACCORDING TO SOURCES I HAVE SPOKEN
WITH, APPARENTLY THE U-S GOVERNMENT HAS JUDGED THAT THIS
ASSISTANCE WAS OF USE TO THE IRANIANS FOR MILITARY
PURPOSES -- THAT IS FOR MILITARY NUCLEAR PURPOSES.
// END ACT //
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT WASHINGTON IMPOSED SANCTIONS ON
RUSSIAN INSTITUTES FOR ALLEGEDLY HELPING IRAN GAIN NUCLEAR AND
WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY. LAST JULY, THE U-S GOVERNMENT TARGETTED
SEVEN RUSSIAN ORGANIZATIONS FOR ALLEGEDLY PROVIDING TEHRAN WITH
MISSILE TECHNOLOGY.
BUT MR. MILHOLLIN SAYS DESPITE THE SANCTIONS, THAT KIND OF
ASSISTANCE TO IRAN IS CONTINUING.
// THIRD MILHOLIN ACT //
THE SITUATION IS GETTING WORSE. THE IRANIANS ARE MAKING
RAPID PROGRESS IN FIELDING LONGER AND LONGER-RANGE
BALLISTIC MISSILES THAT ARE CAPABLE OF CARRYING NUCLEAR
WEAPONS, OR CHEMICAL, OR BIOLOGICAL WARHEADS -- WHICH
MEANS THAT THAT MAKES IT HARDER FOR THE ISRAELIS TO FEEL
SECURE. AND IT ALSO PUTS PRESSURE ON SADDAM HUSSEIN TO
RESIST INSPECTIONS AND KEEP HIS WEAPON OF MASS
DESTRUCTION PROGRAMS GOING. SO THIS IS A DESTABILIZING
AND RATHER FRIGHTENING DEVELOPMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
// END ACT //
RUSSIAN OFFICIALS HAVE REACTED ANGRILY TO THE U-S SANCTIONS.
PRIME MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV DESCRIBED THE MEASURES AS
"COUNTERPRODUCTIVE." A RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT SAID
THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE THREE INSTITUTIONS ARE GROUNDLESS
SINCE THEY ARE IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH RUSSIAN AND INTERNATIONAL
LAW.
THE SANCTIONS ISSUE IS EXPECTED TO COME UP WHEN U-S SECRETARY OF
STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT TRAVELS TO MOSCOW NEXT WEEK. (SIGNED)
NEB/ADEN/KL
21-Jan-99 3:08 PM EST (2008 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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