Washington, 15 September 1997 (RFE/RL) - The White House says U.S. Vice President Al Gore will raise the proliferation issue of Russian missile technology when he visits Moscow later this month.
White House spokesman Michael McCurry said last week that Gore will raise the matter when he attends meetings Sept. 21-24 of the U.S.-Russia Joint Commission on Economic and Technical Cooperation. Gore and Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin chair the commission.
McCurry made the comment when he was asked about a story in the "Washington Post" that said 30 gyroscopes from disassembled Soviet missiles made their way to Iraq in violation of U.N. sanctions.
Gyroscopes keep rockets stable in orbit.
McCurry said the issue of arms technology proliferation has been raised in the past by President Bill Clinton with Russian President Boris Yeltsin and is continuing to be raised by other U.S. officials.
McCurry said the U.S. feels Russia takes seriously the matter of proliferation but said Washington has not been fully satisfied with some of its responses.