USIA - State Department Report, 97-05-22

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From: The United States Information Agency (USIA) Home Page at <http://www.usia.gov>

REPORT ON STATE DEPARTMENT NOON BRIEFING, THURSDAY, MAY 22

(China/sanctions, Russia/Iran, Palestinian journalist) (600)

CHINA/SANCTIONS -- On May 21, the U.S. government imposed trade sanctions on five Chinese individuals, two Chinese companies, and one Hong Kong company for exporting dual-use chemicals and equipment to Iran for its chemical weapons program. Iran, said Burns, already has one of the largest chemical weapons programs in the world, and is vigorously working to expand it.

The sanctions -- pursuant to the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 -- prohibit importation into the United States of any products produced by the sanctioned entities. The sanctions will last for a minimum of one year, after which the sanctions can be terminated or waived as stipulated in U.S. law.

According to Burns, the U.S. government has no evidence that the Chinese or Hong Kong governments were involved in the specific transfers that have provoked these sanctions. The Chinese government signed the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1991, but Burns could not say if the transfers were in violation of that treaty.

A senior administration official who briefed reporters after Burns, said the Chinese and Hong Kong parties had done some $2 million in business with the United States over the past year. The official said the hope is that the U.S. sanctions will push the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities to put in place a regime that would prevent further transfers of this type.

The official said the United States has been voicing its concerns over this matter with the highest-level officials within the Chinese government for the past few years. The official said that the Chinese government has not, to U.S. knowledge, taken any remedial steps against the offending entities. "We're disappointed," the official acknowledged. "But at the same time we do know that the Chinese have made some progress in improving their export controls."

The official added that "We're not singling out China." Austria, Australia, Germany, Italy, and Thailand have also had sanctions imposed for similar violations.

RUSSIA/IRAN -- "We don't believe Russia has actually transferred to Iran advanced missiles," Burns said. "But we are very concerned about reports indicating that Russian entities may intend to transfer surface-to-air missiles, and they may have transferred ballistic missile-related technology to Iran." A U.S. 1994 agreement with Russian President Boris Yeltsin obligates Russia not to enter any new arms contracts with Iran and to phase out existing contracts within a few years.

PALESTINIAN JOURNALIST -- The United States is concerned by the detention of Daoud Kuttab, a Palestinian American journalist, by the Palestinian Authority.

Burns said "The United States is deeply disturbed by the implications that the detentions of Daoud Kuttab has for the Palestinian Authority's commitment to the rule of law and the freedom of the press. He has not been charged with any offense. Therefore, the United States calls for the immediate release of Daoud Kuttab from imprisonment in the Palestinian Authority controlled area."

Burns added that "We don't understand this. He is an American citizen; we have an obligation to defend him. But we also want to defend the concept of the freedom of the press, and we brought this to the attention of high- level officials in the Palestinian Authority."

Daoud Kuttab was jailed by Palestinian Authority police May 20. U.S. Embassy officials have visited and he appears to be in good health, Burns reported.

From the United States Information Agency (USIA) Home Page at http://www.usia.gov

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