DATE=3/18/99 TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT NUMBER=5-42891 TITLE= CHINA SPYING / NUCLEAR BYLINE= ANDRE DE NESNERA DATELINE= WASHINGTON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS HAVE STRONGLY CRITICIZED THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION FOR APPARENTLY RESPONDING TOO SLOWLY TO TIGHTEN SECURITY AT NUCLEAR LABORATORIES, FOLLOWING ALLEGATIONS A SCIENTIST PASSED ON SECRETS TO THE CHINESE. IN THIS REPORT FROM WASHINGTON, CORRESPONDENT ANDRE DE NESNERA LOOKS AT SOME OF THE SECURITY ISSUES SURROUNDING U-S NUCLEAR LABS. TEXT: NUCLEAR SCIENTIST WEN HO LEE WAS FIRED LAST WEEK FROM THE LOS ALAMOS NUCLEAR LABORATORY IN NEW MEXICO. HE IS ACCUSED OF FAILING TO PROPERLY SAFEGUARD CLASSIFIED INFORMATION AND FOR HAVING CONTACTS WITH INDIVIDUALS FROM A SENSITIVE COUNTRY. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ARE INVESTIGATING WHETHER MR. LEE PROVIDED CHINA WITH INFORMATION ABOUT U-S NUCLEAR WEAPONS. MR. LEE HAS NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY CHARGED WITH ESPIONAGE. THE LEE CASE HAS BROUGHT TO THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION QUESTIONS ABOUT SECURITY PROCEDURES AT U-S NUCLEAR LABORATORIES. PUBLISHER OF THE "BULLETIN OF ATOMIC SCIENTISTS", STEVEN SCHWARTZ, SAYS THOSE QUESTIONS ARE NOT NEW. // SCHWARTZ ACT // THE ISSUES THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH HERE GO BACK TO THE MID-1980'S, IF NOT BEFORE. AND I HAVE GOT A STACK OF "GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE" DOCUMENTS -- THE INVESTIGATIVE ARM OF CONGRESS -- GOING BACK TO THE MID-1980'S. IT IS ABOUT SIX-INCHES HIGH. THEY DOCUMENT ALL SORTS OF PROBLEMS WITH DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE GONE MISSING, VISITORS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PROPERLY CLEARED, CLEARANCES THAT ARE NOT BEING PROPERLY CHECKED, AND ALL SORTS OF OTHER THINGS. SO THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE -- AND IT REALLY POINTS TO A SORT OF SYSTEMIC FLAW IN THE WAY THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND THE WEAPONS LABORATORIES MANAGE THEIR SECURITY AFFAIRS. // END ACT // MR. SCHWARTZ SAYS HE HAS DOCUMENTS INDICATING THAT VISITORS FROM SENSITIVE COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA, RUSSIA, ISRAEL, INDIA, AND PAKISTAN HAVE GONE INTO U-S NUCLEAR LABS WITH MINIMAL IF NO BACKGROUND CHECKS. // SECOND SCHWARZ ACT // SINCE SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO VISITED THE LABS HAVE TURNED OUT APPARENTLY TO BE SPIES WORKING FOR FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES, WHETHER OR NOT THEY GOT INFORMATION IS BESIDE THE POINT. THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED INTO THE LABS. BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE SHOULD SHUT DOWN THE PROGRAM ENTIRELY. THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD LAB TO LAB COOPERATION GOING ON WITH RUSSIA AND ALSO WITH CHINA -- AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THAT WORK CONTINUE. YOU JUST NEED TO DRAW A BOUNDARY AROUND WHAT PEOPLE CAN SEE AND WHOM THEY CAN TALK TO. // END ACT // CLINTON ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS HAVE REJECTED CRITICISMS THEY WERE TOO SLOW IN REACTING TO REPORTS OF ESPIONAGE BECAUSE OF THEIR POLICY OF ENGAGEMENT WITH CHINA. U-S OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE TIGHTENED SECURITY AT VARIOUS NUCLEAR LABS AND HAVE APPLIED STRICT CONTROLS ON HIGH-TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS TO CHINA. THEY HAVE ALSO ASKED CONGRESS FOR AN ADDITIONAL EIGHT-BILLION DOLLARS FOR A NEW COMPUTER SECURITY PROGRAM FOR SYSTEMS AT THE NUCLEAR LABS. ASIAN SECURITY EXPERT MICHAEL O'HANLON, OF THE (WASHINGTON-BASED) "BROOKINGS INSTITUTION", SAYS ESPIONAGE ACTIVITIES CANNOT BE PREVENTED, EVEN WITH THE MOST SOPHISTICATED SECURITY. // O'HANLON ACT // NO-ONE IS SAYING THAT THE CHINESE ACTUALLY WENT INTO THE SECRET DESIGN LAB. WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING IS THAT THEY HAD ENOUGH CONTACTS WITH FOLKS WHO WORKED THERE, THAT EVEN AT THE 'SEVEN-ELEVEN' (GROCERY STORE) DOWN THE STREET, THEY COULD BE TOLD BY PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE ABOUT THESE BOMB DESIGNS. SO THEY DID NOT HAVE TO ACTUALLY GET INTO THE TOP-SECRET FACILITIES THEMSELVES. // END ACT // MR. O'HANLON SAYS IF THERE WAS A LEAK FROM THE LOS ALAMOS NUCLEAR LABORATORY, IT COULD HAVE OCCURRED DURING A CONVERSATION THAT HAPPENED ANYWHERE. (SIGNED) NEB/ADEN/RAE 18-Mar-99 1:54 PM EST (1854 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .