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Washington, March 27 (CNA) Sixteen US congressmen have co-sponsored a House resolution seeking to prevent Russia from further providing Communist China with Sunburn anti-ship missiles that they say endanger America's national security.

"The purpose of this Act is to prohibit the forgiveness or rescheduling of any bilateral debt owed by the Russian Federation to the US until it has terminated all sales and transfers of Moskit (Sunburn) anti-ship missiles," said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif), chairman of the House International Relations Asia-Pacific Subcommittee, when introducing the resolution on March 16.

The resolution noted that within weeks after the arrival in February of the first of the two Russian-built Sovremenny-class destroyers sold to Beijing, the Russians are scheduled to transfer the first of several of the ship's most lethal weapon, the radar-guided Sunburn anti-ship missiles, which can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads.

The supersonic Sunburn missile, which can be mounted on a naval or mobile land platform, was designed specifically to destroy American aircraft carriers and other warships equipped with advanced Aegis radar and combat management systems. The US Navy considers the missile to be extremely difficult to defend against, adds the resolution.

It continues that the Sunburn missile has an over-the-horizon range of 65 miles and can deliver a 200-kiloton warhead in under two minutes. One conventional Sunburn missile can sink a warship or disable an aircraft carrier, causing the deaths of hundreds of American military personnel.

Russia is also helping the air force of the People's Liberation Army to assemble Sukhoi SU-27 fighter aircraft, which are capable of carrying an air-launched version of the Sunburn missile, which has an even longer range than the sea-launched one. Russia is reportedly discussing the sale of these air-launched Sunburn missiles to China, notes the resolution.

It points out that land, sea, or air-launched Sunburn missiles raise the potential for American casualties and could affect the outcome in any future conflict in the Taiwan Straits or South China Sea. Moreover, the transfer of the missile by Beijing to Iran or other belligerent nations in the Persian Gulf region would increase the potential for conflict and for American casualties.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the resolution says, the president shall not reschedule or forgive any outstanding debt owed to the United States by Russia until the president certifies to Congress that Russia has permanently terminated all transfers of Sunburn anti-ship missiles, particularly transfers to mainland China.

The resolution requires the president to submit within 30 days after the resolution's enactment and every six months thereafter to both houses of Congress a report identifying the status of any contract and the date of the transfer of any version of the Sunburn missile, particularly transfers to China on or after Feb. 1, 2000. (By Nelson Chung)