DATE=5/27/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249889
TITLE=RENO / CHINA PROBE (L ONLY)
BYLINE=JIM MALONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO SAYS SHE HAS NO PLANS TO 
RESIGN IN THE WAKE OF CRITICISM OF HER HANDLING OF THE 
INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGED CHINESE ESPIONAGE AT U-S NUCLEAR 
WEAPONS RESEARCH LABORATORIES.  NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT JIM MALONE
HAS THE STORY.

TEXT:  MS. RENO HAS BEEN UNDER FIRE THIS WEEK FOR WHAT MANY 
REPUBLICANS AND SOME DEMOCRATS BELIEVE WAS A BOTCHED 
INVESTIGATION INTO HOW CHINA OBTAINED U-S NUCLEAR SECRETS.

SOME PROMINENT REPUBLICANS HAVE CALLED FOR MS. RENO TO RESIGN.  
BUT AT HER WEEKLY NEWS CONFERENCE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID SHE 
HAS GIVEN NO THOUGHT TO RESIGNING AND BELIEVES SHE STILL HAS THE 
CONFIDENCE OF THE CLINTON WHITE HOUSE.

CRITICS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ARE MOST UPSET OVER HER DECISION 
TWO-YEARS AGO NOT TO APPROVE WIRETAPS ON SUSPECTED SPY WEN HO 
LEE.  HE HAS BEEN FIRED FROM THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS LAB AT LOS 
ALAMOS, NEW MEXICO, BUT HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED.  

MR. LEE'S ATTORNEY SAYS HE HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG AND CHINA HAS 
DENIED IT USED MR. LEE TO STEAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE MOST 
ADVANCED WARHEAD IN THE U-S NUCLEAR ARSENAL.

MS. RENO SAYS SHE TURNED DOWN THE F-B-I'S REQUEST TO TAP WEN HO 
LEE'S TELEPHONE BECAUSE THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO 
INDICATE THAT ESPIONAGE HAD TAKEN PLACE.

                        /// RENO ACT. ///

         THAT IS THE GREAT BALANCE OF THIS NATION -- HOW WE 
         PROTECT OUR PEOPLE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ENSURING THEIR
         LIBERTIES.

                        /// END ACT. ///

BUT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ALSO SAYS SHE WISHES SOME OF HER 
DEPUTIES HAD BROUGHT THE EVIDENCE DIRECTLY TO HER AFTER THE F-B-I
ASKED FOR A REVIEW OF HER DECISION DENYING THE REQUEST TO COLLECT
EVIDENCE.

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY CONDUCTING A REVIEW OF ITS 
INVESTIGATION OF THE LOS ALAMOS CASE, BUT MS. RENO REFUSES TO 
DISCUSS THE SPECIFICS, CITING NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS.   
(SIGNED)

NEB/JBM/RAE

27-May-99 2:04 PM EDT (1804 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.