U.S. ASKS ALLIES TO JOIN STAR WARS EFFORT; TECHNOLOGY-SHARING CURBS UNRESOLVED

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000706720003-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 2, 2011
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: March 27, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/02 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000706720003-0
Technology-Sharing Curbs Unresolved
i
WALL STREET JOURNAL
27 March 1985
INTERNATIONAL
U.S. Asks Allies to Join Star Wars Effort;
r.:,cV-Sr ED
? C- 7
If the Pentagon ulumateiy extends re-
search contracts to European companies,
attempts to separate U.S. and European
interests on Star Wars probably would be
less successful, administration officials
reason.
Pentagon officials said there have been
many expressions of interest from Euro-
pean companies in recent weeks. For ex-
ample, Dornier G.m.b.H., a West German
manufacturer, has inquired about working
on tracking and pointing systems, and
Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm G.m.b.H. is
exploring the possibility of researching the
use of high-energy lasers.
technology that can be shared with U.S. al- nology will go to any foreign country" un-
lies. der the research program. He argued that
Moreover, the Pentagon hasn't spelled in the past the Pentagon has blocked the
out whether non-U.S. companies would ap- sale of technologies, "that are already
'ply directly for research contracts or par- available to the Russians.-
ticipate through some still-undefined L The Pentagon's research into space-
agreement between governments. based missile defenses focuses on such ad-
Secretary Weinberger asked the coun- j vanced technologies as large-scale lasers,
tries to give the Pentagon within 60 days optical systems and kinetic energy, areas
.,an indication of your interest in partici- in which European companies are con-
pating in the SDI research program and of cerned about falling behind the U.S. "It's
the areas of your country's research excel no help to European economies if we par-
lence that you deem most promising for ticipate only where we're strong," said a
this program." senior official with the West German For-
I He also discussed the matter yesterday eign Ministry. "The question is how to par-
in Luxembourg in a meeting with the 14- ticipate in research where our firms are
country nuclear planning group. weaker."
European interest in the research is But this official contends that the U.S.
I driven partly by the desire to keep abreast is increasingly working to keep its scien-
of any technological advances that could tific findings secret. He believes the Star
have broad applications outside the mill- Wars program could magnify this ten-
tary sphere. Manfred Woerner. the West dency.
German defense minister, said his country Ironically, one of the technological
wished to participate in the Star Wars re- breakthroughs underlying the U.S. Star
search so long as "fair partnership, full Wars program came from the Soviet Un-
participation and mutual benefit" can be ion. Gen. James Abrahamson, director of
assured, the program, recently told a congressional
An executive with a West German de- panel that the discovery in 1969 of a Soviet-
fense contractor said he is worried that the made accelerator "is the key to our being
Pentagon will relegate non-U.S. partici- able to make an effective particle beam
pants to Blechschneiderei,or metal-bending weapon," one of the systems being re-
jobs, while hoarding the most significant .,searched.
technological breakthroughs. ,,.-.. The Europeans' role in Star Wars is
Within the Reagan administration, considered central to its success. Soviet of-
there are.. sharp differences over how -ficials recently attacked the program while
closely to guard the Star Wars technology. visiting European capitals, a move Wash-
The White House, which is eager to lock in ~ ington viewed as an effort to drive a wedge
European support for the program, has between the U.S. and its European allies.
been pushing for broad international par-
ticipation. However, Assistant Defense
s waging a
By TIM CAIU;ING? ON Secretary Richard Perle, who
I And ROGER TxvaoK? campaign to stop the flow of sensitive tech-
Staff Reporters ofTHE WALL STREET JOURNAL nological information to the Soviets, may
WASHINGTON-The Reagan adminis- be reluctant to encourage substantial non-
tration formally asked U.S. allies to take U.S. involvement.
part in its Strategic Defense Initiative, but Thus far, Mr. Perle has succeeded in
U.S. concern about technology leaks to the expanding the items and technologies that
Soviet Union may lead to strict limits on U.S. companies are barred from selling
international participation in the pro- overseas. With respect to Star Wars tech-
gram. nology, Mr. Perle recently said that if
The invitation, contained in letters sent ~ shared research does materialize, the U.S.
by Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger must make sure that "we're not relinquish-
yesterday, was the first formal step by the ing control just when it crosses the Atlan-
U.S. to enlist Europe and Japan in the $26 tic." White House officials fear that stance
billion, five-year research effort known as could translate into obstacles to joint par-
Star Wars. However, Secretary Wein- ticipation in the research program.
berger's communique didn't resolve the An executive with a major U.S. contrac-
questions that still cloud the issue, includ- tor on the Star Wars program said, "It's
utg whether the U.S. will strictly limit the absurd to think that any kind of high tech-
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/02 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000706720003-0