*EPF204 07/31/01
Defense Department Report, July 31: Missile Testing, Iraq
(Group raises questions about proposed testing) (610)

COMPLIANCE REVIEW GROUP SENDS FINDINGS TO WOLFOWITZ

A Pentagon compliance review group has recognized a potential conflict between the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty and proposed missile defense testing in a preliminary report to Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, a Pentagon spokesman says.

Navy Rear Admiral Craig Quigley characterized the findings by the ABM compliance review group as "very tentative" and would not discuss the report in detail during a media briefing July 31.

"The ABM Treaty Compliance Review Group completed an initial quick look and provided that assessment to Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz late yesterday [July 30]," he said. "It is a tentative finding, it is very much a work in progress.

"They found some instances where there is at least a question in the review group's mind as to whether or not the proposed activity [testing] would remain in compliance with the treaty."

Quigley said the next step in the process is to study the compliance group's findings within the Department of Defense and other federal agencies to determine if there may be a potential violation. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said July 12 the United States would not intentionally violate the terms of the treaty.

However, he said the group did not find any conflict between the ABM Treaty and proposed missile defense testing activities during the current fiscal year that ends September 30.

The ABM Treaty between the United States and the former Soviet Union prohibits development and deployment of nationwide defenses against long-range ballistic missiles, though it does provide for very limited use of anti-ballistic missile defenses.

The Bush administration has proposed developing a working system of land-based, sea-launched and airborne weapons to intercept long-range ballistic missiles launched from smaller nations antagonistic to the United States.

A U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee July 31 authorized more than $8,160 million in spending for missile defense programs and granted the Air Force general in charge of development more flexibility in spending the funds. The amount was $135 million less than what had been sought by President Bush.

The compliance review group was set up to examine the proposed testing program and advise the Pentagon whether any aspects of the testing might conflict with terms of the 1972 ABM Treaty.

IRAQ STEPPING UP EFFORTS TO DOWN COALITION AIRCRAFT

Quigley said it is becoming apparent that Iraqi military forces are attempting to shoot down a coalition aircraft, based on the increased volume of anti-aircraft fire directed at U.S. and British warplanes that patrol no-fly zones over the north and south of the country.

A high-flying U-2 reconnaissance aircraft came close to being struck by a surface-to-air missile over southern Iraq July 24.

"They have shown over the course of all of calendar year 2001 a considerably more aggressive stance in trying to bring down a coalition aircraft," Quigley said. "The volume of fire is up throughout both northern and southern watch as compared to say a year ago."

Quigley said the number of provocations by Iraqi forces in the southern no-fly zone have reached 370 so far this year, compared with 221 in all of 2000. There have been 62 provocations this year to date in the northern no-fly zone, he said, compared with 145 incidents last year.

A provocation is any launch of ordinance of some kind -- surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft artillery -- or the locking on by fire control system radar, he said.

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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