[FPSPACE] Russian Missile Technology Aid To Iran

[JamesOberg@aol.com]

JimO: As I stated at my November 1999 speech at the Baker Institute of 
Foreign Affairs at Rice University, the assertion that the US-Russian space 
partnership would prevent rocket technology assistance to "rogue states" 
started out as a noble goal, soon became a vain hope, and has degenerated 
into a dangerous delusion. At least, that's how I interpret the evidence.

NewsMax.com  //  Friday, Oct. 6, 2000 
     Despite an agreement Vice President Al Gore brokered, Russia continues 
to bolster Iran's war-making capability by selling it advanced conventional 
weapons. Not only that, the Central Agency says, the government of President 
Vladimir Putin is still assisting Iran's missile program, ignoring entreaties 
by the Clinton-Gore administration to stop it.
     According to a story Friday in the Washington Times:
     In 1995, Gore negotiated an agreement with Viktor Chernomyrdin, then 
Russia's prime minister, who close friendship the Democratic vice president 
has touted five years later in his campaign for the presidency against his 
Republican opponent, George W. Bush.
     Shortly after the 1995 deal, Chernomyrdin fell into disgrace under a 
welter of accusations of political corruption involving Russian business 
interests.
     The agreement signed by Gore and his ally Chernomyrdin required Russia 
to halt its weapons trade with Iran, in exchange for a United States promise 
to let Moscow do business with its defense contractors.
     Under that Gore deal, the United States has given Russia $7.7 billion, 
mostly from satellite launches.
     But a State Department officer told the Senate that the 1995 agreement 
Gore engineered contained a loophole that allowed arms shipments to continue 
under existing contracts.
     This caused Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., to charge that the Clinton-Gore 
administration "has not solved the proliferation problem.
     "The problem has grown decidedly worse, and the world is a far-more 
dangerous place because of it.
     "We're facing a major crisis in the coming years, and responsibility can 
largely be laid at the feet of this administration."
     In testimony to a Senate subcommittee Thursday, a high-ranking CIA 
official, John Lauder, said the agreement for which Gore has been taking 
credit is now a dead letter, ignored by the Putin government.
     Moreover, Lauder testified that "Iran is acquiring Russian technology, 
which could significantly accelerate the pace of its ballistic-missile 
development program.
     "Assistance by Russian entities has helped Iran save years in the 
development of the Shahab-3, which was flight-tested in 1998 and twice again 
this year."
     Russia is also helping Iran build even-longer-range missiles, the 
Shahab-4 and Shahab-5, he said.
     Robert Einhorn, an assistant secretary of state in charge of stopping 
arms proliferation, testified that the Russian-Iranian arms trade is a 
"persistent problem," although some "progress" has been made in curbing 
Russian weapons transfers.
     But he warned that Russia has shown a "lack of determination" to stop 
supplying Iran with missile-related and nuclear technology that Tehran uses 
in building its long-range missiles and nuclear weapons.
     "We are convinced that if Russia's leaders gave the matter sufficient 
priority, Iran's nuclear and missile procurement efforts in Russia could be 
stopped," Einhorn said.
     When he was asked if the Russian Space Agency and its subsidiaries have 
halted missile technology sales to Iran, Einhorn answered:
     "I doubt very much we are going to be able to make that assertion. In 
fact, I feel confident that we will have to report to you that a number of 
entities subordinate to the Russian Space Agency have in fact provided 
support for Iran's missile program."