DATE=3/16/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246704
TITLE=RUSSIA / U-S (L ONLY)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A U-S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION HAS RECEIVED A COLD
RESPONSE FROM RUSSIAN LAWMAKERS TO A CONTROVERSIAL U-S PROPOSAL
FOR A HUGE NEW ANTI-MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM. V-O-A MOSCOW
CORRESPONDENT PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS THERE WERE FEW TAKERS FOR
WHAT THE CONGRESSMEN SAY WAS INTENDED TO BE A GESTURE OF
FRIENDSHIP.
TEXT: THE EIGHT U-S CONGRESSMEN FLEW TO MOSCOW ON SHORT NOTICE
THIS WEEK TO TRY TO EASE CONCERNS IN RUSSIA'S PARLIAMENT ABOUT
THEIR PLAN FOR A "STAR WARS" TYPE DEFENSE SYSTEM.
DELEGATION LEADER, PENNSYLVANIA REPUBLICAN CURT WELDON, SAID HE
AND HIS COLLEAGUES WANTED TO REASSURE RUSSIAN LAWMAKERS IN
ADVANCE OF SCHEDULED VOTES ON THE DEFENSE SHIELD, POSSIBLY AS
EARLY AS THIS WEEK.
/// WELDON ACT ///
TO MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR TO THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE AND THE
STATE DUMA (LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT) AND THE
FEDERATION COUNCIL (UPPER HOUSE) THAT THE VOTE WE WILL
TAKE IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE (U-S CONGRESS) AT THE END
OF THIS WEEK IS NOT A VOTE AGAINST RUSSIA NOR IS IT
A VOTE THAT SOME WOULD PORTRAY AS SAYING RUSSIA IS THE
ENEMY.
/// END ACT ///
BUT CONGRESSMAN WELDON TOLD REPORTERS THE RESPONSE FROM RUSSIAN
LAWMAKERS WAS LESS THAN ENTHUSIASTIC.
/// WELDON ACT ///
I WOULD NOT SAY THAT THE RESPONSE WAS OVERWHELMINGLY
RECEPTIVE. BUT I WOULD NOT SAY THAT IT WAS
OVERWHELMINGLY NEGATIVE EITHER.
/// END ACT ///
THE CONGRESSMAN ADMITTED FEWER THAN 10 MEMBERS OF RUSSIA'S
450-SEAT DUMA, OR LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT, ATTENDED A SPECIAL
BRIEFING ON THE DEFENSE SHIELD PLAN.
THE BRIEFING INCLUDED PREVIOUSLY CLASSIFIED MATERIAL. IT
FEATURED PRESENTATIONS BY FORMER C-I-A CHIEF JAMES WOOLSEY AND
FORMER DEFENSE SECRETARY DONALD RUMSFELD, CHAIRMAN OF A
PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDING THE MISSILE SHIELD. ///
OPT /// A CLASSIFIED VERSION OF THE BRIEFING WILL BE GIVEN TO
CONGRESS AT A CLOSED-DOOR SESSION LATER THIS WEEK. /// END OPT
///
MR. RUMSFELD SAID HE HOPES DUMA MEMBERS WOULD ULTIMATELY AGREE
THAT BOTH RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES FACE A RENEWED THREAT OF
ATTACK FROM WHAT HE CALLS "ROGUE STATES".
/// RUMSFELD ACT ///
PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HAVE BALLISTIC MISSILES AND WHO WANT
TO HAVE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION ARE GETTING THEM.
AND THE THREAT THAT THAT POSES TO THE REST OF THE WORLD
IS A SERIOUS ONE. AND PRETENDING THOSE THREATS DON'T
EXIST IS NOT WISE.
/// END ACT ///
MEMBERS OF THE U-S DELEGATION TOLD REPORTERS THEY SENSED CONCERN
AMONG RUSSIANS THAT THE UNITED STATES MIGHT BE TRYING TO CANCEL
THE 1972 ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE TREATY.
RUSSIAN LAWMAKERS PRESENTED A BILL TUESDAY MAKING RATIFICATION OF
THE LONG DELAYED START TWO TREATY DEPENDENT ON CONTINUED U-S
ADHERENCE TO THE A-B-M ACCORD.
THE VISITING AMERICAN CONGRESSMEN SAY THEY MADE IT CLEAR THE
UNITED STATES PLANS TO GO AHEAD WITH DEVELOPMENT OF THE MISSILE
DEFENSE SHIELD REGARDLESS OF RUSSIAN OBJECTIONS.
/// REST OPT ///
BUT TEXAS CONGRESSMAN JIM TURNER SAYS HE HOPS DUMA MEMBERS WOULD
TAKE THE ADVANCE BRIEFING AS A GESTURE OF FRIENDSHIP.
/// TURNER ACT ///
FRIENDS DON'T SPRING SURPRISES ON FRIENDS. IT WAS
IMPORTANT TO US TO CONVEY TO OUR FRIENDS IN THE DUMA THE
CONCERN THAT WE HAVE IN THE UNITED STATES ABOUT THE
PROLIFERATION OF MISSILES. AND WE WANTED THEM TO KNOW
IN ADVANCE WE AS MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WERE GOING TO TAKE
A VOTE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH DEVELOPMENT OF A MISSILE
DEFENSE SYSTEM.
/// END ACT ///
DELEGATION MEMBERS SAY THE DEFENSE SYSTEM IS STILL IN AN EARLY
STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT, AND IS NOT LIKELY TO BE IN PLACE FOR
SEVERAL YEARS. (SIGNED)
NEB/PFH/JWH
16-Mar-99 12:03 PM EST (1703 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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