DATE=1/14/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244183
TITLE=RUSSIA / U-S  (L)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  RUSSIA'S MAIN SPY AGENCY HAS SUGGESTED THE UNITED STATES 
MAY HAVE RELIED ON FAULTY INTELLIGENCE IN SLAPPING SANCTIONS ON 
MOSCOW FOR AIDING IRAN'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM.  CORRESPONDENT 
PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS FROM MOSCOW ON RUSSIA'S DEFIANT REACTION 
TO THE U-S ALLEGATIONS.

TEXT:  IN A POINTED JAB AT ITS TRADITIONAL RIVAL, RUSSIA'S 
FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE -- THE F-S-B -- SAID (THURSDAY) 
PENALTIES IMPOSED ON RESEARCH INSTITUTES ACCUSED OF SUPPLYING 
NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY TO IRAN COULD BE THE RESULT OF SLOPPY U-S SPY 
WORK. 

THE F-S-B -- THE MODERN-DAY SUCCESSOR TO THE SOVIET K-G-B -- 
ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING IT FOUND  NO  EVIDENCE THE ACCUSED 
ORGANIZATIONS VIOLATED INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS INTENDED TO BAR 
PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.

THE F-S-B STATEMENT SAID ALLEGATIONS MADE BY NATIONAL SECURITY 
ADVISER SANDY BERGER SEEM TO BE BASED ON WHAT IT CALLED -- A 
MISUNDERSTANDING, AND PERHAPS DEFECTIVE WORK BY THE AMERICAN 
SPECIAL SERVICES.

TUESDAY, MR. BERGER ANNOUNCED A BAN ON AID OR COMMERCIAL LINKS 
WITH THREE RUSSIAN SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTES.  THE THREE WERE ADDED 
TO A LIST OF SEVEN OTHERS HIT WITH U-S SANCTIONS LAST JULY FOR 
ALLEGEDLY SUPPLYING IRAN WITH TECHNOLOGY NEEDED FOR ITS NUCLEAR 
WEAPONS PROGRAM.

A STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN WARNED WEDNESDAY OF FURTHER 
PENALTIES UNLESS COOPERATION WITH IRAN IS HALTED.  JAMES RUBIN 
SAID RUSSIA MIGHT BE CUT OUT OF THE LUCRATIVE SPACE LAUNCH 
BUSINESS IF ACTION IS  NOT  TAKEN SOON.

A RUSSIAN SPACE OFFICIAL WAS QUOTED THURSDAY AS SAYING SUCH A 
CUTOFF COULD COST HIS COUNTRY 280-MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR IN BADLY
NEEDED HARD CURRENCY.

REACTION IN MOSCOW TO THE U-S SANCTIONS HAS BEEN ONE OF 
NEAR-UNANIMOUS OUTRAGE.  SEVERAL COMMENTATORS EXPRESSED THE VIEW 
THAT SABRE-RATTLING FROM WASHINGTON WAS LINKED TO PRESIDENT 
CLINTON'S IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN VLADIMIR RAKHMANIN SUGGESTED A
CUTOFF OF U-S / RUSSIA SPACE LAUNCH COOPERATION WOULD BE FOOLISH.

        /// RAKHMANIN ACT IN RUSSIAN, THEN FADE TO... ///

HE SAYS CANCELLING THE SATELLITE LAUNCH PROGRAM WOULD HURT THE 
UNITED STATES AS MUCH AS RUSSIA.  MR. RAKHMANIN DESCRIBED 
RUSSIA'S COOPERATION WITH IRAN AS HARMLESS, AND TOLD REPORTERS IT
IS FARFETCHED TO TRY TO LINK THE SPACE LAUNCH PROGRAM TO NUCLEAR 
PROLIFERATION.

BUT ONE RESPECTED RUSSIAN VOICE STOOD IN SHARP CONTRAST TO THE  
MAJORITY.  VLADIMIR LUKIN, THE INFLUENTIAL CHAIRMAN OF  
PARLIAMENT'S INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, SUGGESTED MOSCOW 
SHOULD BREAK OFF NUCLEAR COOPERATION WITH IRAN EVEN IF U-S 
ALLEGATIONS ARE FALSE. 

THE ITAR-TASS NEWS AGENCY QUOTED MR. LUKIN AS SAYING RUSSIA MUST 
ULTIMATELY MAKE A CLEAR CHOICE BETWEEN SUPPLYING THE TEHERAN 
GOVERNMENT WITH SENSITIVE TECHNOLOGIES, OR DEVELOPING CLOSER 
COOPERATION WITH THE WEST.   (SIGNED)

NEB/PFH/RAE/KL

14-Jan-99 11:39 AM EST (1639 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.