DATE=7/23/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235924
TITLE=ISRAEL / IRAN MISSILES (L)
  BYLINE=AL PESSIN
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:   ISRAEL THURSDAY EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT IRAN'S MISSILE 
TEST AND CALLED FOR INTERNATIONAL ACTION TO STOP THE COUNTRY'S 
MISSILE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.   DETAILS FROM V-O-A'S AL PESSIN IN 
JERUSALEM.

TEXT:  ISRAEL HAS BEEN WARNING OF THE DANGERS OF IRAN'S MISSILE  
PROGRAM FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS, AND HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE 
UNITED STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES TO STOP THE FLOW OF TECHNOLOGY 
INTO THE PROGRAM FROM CHINA, RUSSIA AND NORTH KOREA.  ISRAELI 
TRADE AND INDUSTRY MINISTER NATAN SHARANSKY SAYS MORE 
INTERNATIONAL ACTION IS NEEDED -- AND IMMEDIATELY.

                    ///SHARANSKY ACTUALITY///

         THIS LAUNCH, EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKS NOT VERY SUCCESSFUL, 
         SHOWS IRAN CAN HAVE SUCH A TYPE OF A MISSILE AND THAT 
         THE EFFORTS WHICH WE ARE ENCOURAGING -- UNITED EFFORTS 
         OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND RUSSIA AND OTHER 
         COUNTRIES -- TO STOP THE LEAKING OF THE TECHNOLOGIES TO 
         IRAN, SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED.  AND WE HAVE TO TAKE 
         IMMEDIATE MEASURES TO PREVENT IT.

                       ///END ACTUALITY///

ISRAEL IS AT THE OUTER EDGE OF THE 13-HUNDRED KILOMETER RANGE OF 
THE MISSILE IRAN TESTED ON WEDNESDAY.  EXPERTS SAY THE MISSILE IS
NOT VERY ACCURATE AT SUCH A DISTANCE.  ISRAELI OFFICIALS SAY THE 
MAIN CONCERN IS WHAT TYPE OF WARHEAD IRAN WOULD PUT ON SUCH A  
MISSILE.  THERE ARE MANY MISSILES IN THE REGION ARMED WITH  
CONVENTIONAL WARHEADS.  BUT, ISRAELI OFFICIALS SAY, IF IRAN PUT A
NON-CONVENTIONAL WARHEAD ON SUCH A MISSILE, IT WOULD BE A MAJOR 
THREAT. 

//REST OPT// ISRAELI GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN MOSHE FOGEL ADDS THERE 
ARE OTHER CONCERNS BEYOND ISRAEL'S OWN SECURITY. 

                     ///FOGEL ACTUALITY/// 

         I DON'T THINK IT'S A QUESTION OF JUST ISRAEL, BECAUSE 
         THE THREAT, OR POTENTIAL THREAT, POSED BY IRAN IS AS 
         MUCH A THREAT TO WESTERN INTERESTS AND TO IRAN'S 
         IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS, AS IT IS TO ISRAEL, IF NOT MORE OF 
         A THREAT.

                       ///END ACTUALITY///

THE FIRST REPORT OF THE IRANIAN MISSILE TEST CAME IN THE "NEW 
YORK TIMES," (NEWSPAPER) WHICH ALSO SPECULATED THAT ISRAEL MIGHT 
TRY TO DESTROY IRAN'S MISSILE CAPABILITY BEFORE IT BECOMES 
OPERATIONAL.  ON THURSDAY, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER YITZHAK 
MORDECHAI SAID ONLY THAT ISRAEL WILL DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO 
DEFEND ITSELF, BUT HE WOULD  NOT  ELABORATE.  (SIGNED)

NEB/AWP/PCF/PLM
 

23-Jul-98 2:07 PM EDT (1807 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.