DATE=4/3/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-229186 TITLE=CUBA INTEL (L) BYLINE=JIM RANDLE DATELINE=PENTAGON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: A STORY IN FRIDAY'S MIAMI HERALD (NEWSPAPER) SAYS THE SOVIET UNION LEARNED OF U-S BATTLE PLANS IN THE 1991 PERSIAN GULF WAR BY ELECTRONIC EAVESDROPPING FROM AN OUTPOST IN CUBA. THE PAPER ATTRIBUTES THE STORY TO A SOVIET INTELLIGENCE OFFICER WHO DEFECTED TO THE UNITED STATES. VOA CORRESPONDENT JIM RANDLE HAS A REPORT FROM THE PENTAGON. TEXT: THE MIAMI HERALD STORY SAYS THE SOVIETS USED ELECTRONIC EAVESDROPPING TO LEARN CRITICAL PARTS OF SECRET U-S PLANS DURING THE GULF WAR. THE STORY SAYS MOCOW KNEW -- IN ADVANCE -- U-S PLANS TO CIRCLE ENTRENCHED IRAQI TROOPS IN THE DESERT. ANALYSTS SAY THAT MANEUVER WAS A DECISIVE STEP IN WINNING THE WAR, AND SECRECY WAS CRUCIAL TO SUCCESS. THE ARTICLE SAYS MOSCOW DID NOT SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH IRAQ. A PENTAGON OFFICIAL DECLINED TO COMMENT DIRECTLY ON THE MIAMI HERALD STORY, BUT DID SAY THAT IT IS NO SECRET THAT RUSSIANS ARE USING A BASE NEAR HAVANA TO LISTEN IN ON U-S MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS. THE OFFICIAL SAYS THE BASE -- KNOWN AS LOURDES (PRONO: LORD-ES) -- IS SO WELL KNOWN THAT DEFENSE OFFICIALS HAVE BRIEFED CONGRESS ON ITS ACTIVITIES IN PUBLIC HEARINGS. THE SPY OPERATION IN LOURDES IS SAID TO BE STAFFED BY TWO THOUSAND RUSSIANS WHOSE MISSION IS TO GATHER ELECTRONIC SIGNALS AND COLLATE INFORMATION FROM SHIPS AND OTHER SOURCES. THEY EAVESDROP ON U-S AIRCRAFT RADIO TRANSMISSIONS, CELLULAR PHONES, MICROWAVE RELAYS OF REGULAR TELEPHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS. THE U-S SOUTHERN COMMAND, WHICH OVERSEES U-S MILITARY ACTIVITIES IN THE CARIBBEAN AND LATIN AMERICA, RECENTLY MOVED ITS HEADQUARTERS TO MIAMI, FLORIDA, FAIRLY CLOSE TO THE INTELLIGENCE FACILITY AT LOURDES, CUBA. A PENTAGON SPOKESMAN SAID IF THE UNITED STATES WERE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT LOURDES, IT WOULD NOT HAVE PUT SUCH A SENSITIVE OPERATION RIGHT UNDER ITS NOSE. (SIGNED) NEB/JR/KL 03-Apr-98 1:28 PM EST (1828 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .