CNA/Taiwan: DEFENSIVE WEAPONS SALES TO TAIWAN FOR STABILITY: ALBRIGHT

[Dao Van <daotb@yahoo.com>]

11-25-99 DEFENSIVE WEAPONS SALES TO TAIWAN FOR STABILITY: ALBRIGHT

Washington, Nov.  24 (CNA) US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on
Wednesday reiterated America's
"strong  interest  in
maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits," saying that is
why Washington has approved defensive weapons sales to Taiwan in
accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979.  When asked about
recent reports in The Washington Times that Communist China is expanding
a facility which may contain missiles targeting Taiwan, Albright told
reporters that the US "continues to monitor the situation closely."
Albright stressed that the US "has made clear to the Chinese government
our concerns regarding Chinese missile development and their influence
on the situation in the Taiwan Straits." She added that "we have, over
and over again, made clear our strong interest in maintaining peace and
stability in the Taiwan Straits.  For this reason, we have approved
defensive arms sales to Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations
Act and consistent with the 1992 US-PRC Joint Communique." As to how
concerned she was about Israel's sale of military technology and
equipment to the mainland, Albright said that "there are laws that
govern the transfer of American technology and the Israelis are aware of
that, but there is no prohibition against
(Israeli) arms sales to China."
The Clinton administration has stated that the early warning radar
systems the Israelis are installing on Russian-made transport aircraft
for sale to Communist China do not contain any American technology. 
(By Nelson Chung)
ENDITEM/SDB
^Z
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