DATE=1/21/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244476
TITLE=CLINTON/YELTSIN/ABM (L)
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:   PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS WRITTEN TO RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS
YELTSIN TO LET HIM KNOW THE UNITED STATES IS CONSIDERING FUNDING 
AN ANTI-MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM TO PROTECT AGAINST A MISSILE 
ATTACK BY A ROGUE NATION. IT'S AN ISSUE THAT HAS IRRITATED THE 
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT IN THE PAST, ESPECIALLY WHEN PRESIDENT REAGAN 
PROPOSED 16 YEARS AGO DEPLOYING AN ELABORATE, SPACE-BASED 
ANTI-MISSILE SHIELD TO DEFEND AGAINST A SOVIET NUCLEAR ATTACK.   
VOA'S CORRESPONDENT NICK SIMEONE REPORTS U-S INTELLIGENCE 
OFFICIALS ARE NO LONGER WORRIED ABOUT RUSSIA BUT A NUMBER OF 
ROGUE STATES WHICH MAY SOON POSE A MISSILE THREAT OF THEIR OWN.



TEXT:   IT WAS NORTH KOREA'S TEST OF A LONG-RANGE MISSILE LAST 
AUGUST -- A DEVICE CAPABLE OF HITTING U-S MILITARY TARGETS IN THE
PACIFIC REGION -- THAT HELPED FOCUS NEW ATTENTION ON THE NEED FOR
A NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE.   BOB BELL IS A MEMBER OF PRESIDENT 
CLINTON'S NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL.

                        /// BELL ACT ///

         WE CAN NOT ASSUME THAT IF NORTH KOREA PERFECTS A THREE 
         STAGE I-C-M-B (INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE) 
         CAPABLE OF STRIKING THE AMERICAN HOMELAND WITH A 
         MEANINGFUL MILITARY WARHEAD, PARTICULARLY ONE THAT HAS 
         WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION CAPABILITY, THAT NORTH KOREA
         WILL NOT SEEK TO SELL THAT CAPABILITY TO OTHER STATES. 

                         /// END ACT ///

/// OPT /// LAST YEAR, AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION HEADED BY FORMER
U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY DONALD RUMSFELD CONCLUDED THAT A ROGUE 
NATION COULD DEPLOY LONG-RANGE MISSILES FOR AN ATTACK AGAINST THE
UNITED STATES WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING.  IT SINGLED OUT NATIONS 
SUCH AS NORTH KOREA, IRAN AND IRAQ AS ALREADY HAVING ACQUIRED 
SENSITIVE MISSILE TECHNOLOGY. /// END OPT /// 

IN ORDER FOR THE UNITED STATES NOT TO FALL VULNERABLE TO A 
MISSILE ARMED WITH PERHAPS NUCLEAR OR CHEMICAL WEAPONS, THE 
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION IS COMMITTING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO MOVE 
AHEAD WITH POSSIBLE DEPLOYMENT OF A NATIONWIDE MISSILE SHIELD.

BUT THE WHITE HOUSE ADMITS THAT MAY REQUIRE RE-NEGOTIATION OF 
SOME -- IF NOT ALL -- OF THE ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE TREATY SIGNED
WITH MOSCOW IN 1972. TOM COLLINA, DIRECTOR OF ARMS CONTROL AT THE
UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS, SUSPECTS THE WHITE HOUSE WOULD 
REALLY LIKE TO GET OUT OF THE TREATY ALL TOGETHER.  

                             /// COLLINA ACT ///

         THE ADMINISTRATION IS HOPING THEY CAN GET THE RUSSIANS 
         TO AGREE TO DRAMATIC AMENDMENTS INSTEAD OF HAVING TO DO 
         THAT BUT I WOULD SAY THE PROSPECTS ARE QUITE SLIM 
         BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE THE RUSSIANS SAYING THAT'S THE POINT
         OF THIS TREATY TO BLOCK NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE. THE 
         U-S WILL SAY, WELL THIS MISSILE DEFENSE IS NOT AIMED AT 
         YOU RUSSIA, IT'S AIMED AT THE ROGUE THREAT.  AND THAT 
         MAY BE TRUE AND IT MAY BE THAT THERE ARE TOO FEW 
         INTERCEPTORS PLANNED TO BE EFFECTIVE AGAINST THE RUSSIAN
         DETERRENT.  BUT THAT'S TRUE ONLY INITIALLY.  AND WHAT 
         THE RUSSIANS WILL BE PARANOID ABOUT AND RIGHTLY SO IS 
         THAT ONCE THE U-S DEPLOYS A MINIMAL SYSTEM, IT CAN THEN 
         QUICKLY RAMP UP TO DEPLOY A MAXIMUM SYSTEM AND ADD 
         VARIOUS COMPONENTS, LIKE SPACE BASED COMPONENTS AND THIS
         KIND OF THING. 

                               /// END ACT ///

THE ISSUE ANGERED MOSCOW DURING THE 1980'S. AT THE TIME, THE 
REAGAN ADMINISTRATION SOUGHT REVISIONS TO THE A-B-M TREATY IN 
ORDER TO MOVE AHEAD WITH A MUCH MORE ELABORATE, SPACE-BASED 
DEFENSIVE SHIELD, ONE THAT WOULD DEFEND THE UNITED STATES AGAINST
THE THREAT OF A NUCLEAR ATTACK BY THE FORMER SOVIET UNION.  
SIXTEEN YEARS ON AND STILL WITH NO DEFENSIVE SHIELD IN PLACE, 
IT'S NATIONS SUCH AS NORTH KOREA THAT ARE NOW FORCING THE UNITED 
STATES TO CONSIDER A MUCH MORE SCALED BACK VERSION OF A SYSTEM 
THAT DURING THE WANING DAYS OF THE COLD WAR HAD COME TO BE KNOWN 
AS STAR WARS. (SIGNED)

NEB/NJS/WDC/PT





21-Jan-99 4:01 PM EST (2101 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.