CIA Says China Helped Pakistan Missile Program
August 12, 2000 - 0:0
WASHINGTON China increased assistance to Pakistan's ballistic missile program , an unclassified CIA report to Congress said on Wednesday.
"Chinese entities provided increased assistance to Pakistan's ballistic missile program during the second half of 1999," the semiannual report on proliferation activities said.
North Korea also helped Pakistan in the missile area, and the South Asian country acquired nuclear-related equipment and materials from sources in Western Europe, the report said.
Chinese firms provided missile-related items and help to North Korea and Libya, the report said.
"We have had discussions many times with the government of China about our concerns of missiles and weapons of mass destruction and export activities of Chinese entities," State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said.
"We have raised with senior Chinese officials on numerous occasions our concerns about reports that Chinese entities have provided assistance to missile programs in Pakistan," he said.
The United States resumed nonproliferation talks with China in July and while there was progress, "the missile issues remain unresolved," Boucher told a regular media briefing.
House of Representatives Intelligence Committee Chairman Porter Goss, a Florida Republican, accused the Clinton administration of playing down the proliferation problem because it wants to improve relations with China and North Korea.
"What the bad news is for the administration is they've rose-colour glassed this as usual and I think they've been caught out at it by this report," Goss said.
The administration says China is improving its proliferation record and "I don't think there is any evidence to support that," he said.
Reports of Chinese missile aid to Pakistan have been a factor behind growing support in the U.S. Senate for legislation that would impose sanctions on China and companies involved in alleged proliferation.
(Reuter)
"Chinese entities provided increased assistance to Pakistan's ballistic missile program during the second half of 1999," the semiannual report on proliferation activities said.
North Korea also helped Pakistan in the missile area, and the South Asian country acquired nuclear-related equipment and materials from sources in Western Europe, the report said.
Chinese firms provided missile-related items and help to North Korea and Libya, the report said.
"We have had discussions many times with the government of China about our concerns of missiles and weapons of mass destruction and export activities of Chinese entities," State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said.
"We have raised with senior Chinese officials on numerous occasions our concerns about reports that Chinese entities have provided assistance to missile programs in Pakistan," he said.
The United States resumed nonproliferation talks with China in July and while there was progress, "the missile issues remain unresolved," Boucher told a regular media briefing.
House of Representatives Intelligence Committee Chairman Porter Goss, a Florida Republican, accused the Clinton administration of playing down the proliferation problem because it wants to improve relations with China and North Korea.
"What the bad news is for the administration is they've rose-colour glassed this as usual and I think they've been caught out at it by this report," Goss said.
The administration says China is improving its proliferation record and "I don't think there is any evidence to support that," he said.
Reports of Chinese missile aid to Pakistan have been a factor behind growing support in the U.S. Senate for legislation that would impose sanctions on China and companies involved in alleged proliferation.
(Reuter)