SR-82 Urging the Clinton Administration IRT Iranian purchases of C-802 Missiles. 5 May 1997

SENATE RESOLUTION 82--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE TO URGE THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION RELATIVE TO C-802 CRUISE MISSILES (Senate - May 05, 1997)

[Page: S3968] Mr. BENNETT (for himself, Mr. D'Amato, Mr. Helms, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Ashcroft, Mrs. Hutchison, and Mr. Brownback) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

S. Res. 82 Whereas the United States escort vessel U.S.S. Stark was struck by a cruise missile , causing the death of 37 United States sailors;

Whereas the China National Precision Machinery Import Export Corporation is marketing the C-802 model cruise missile for use against escort vessels such as the U.S.S. Stark;

Whereas the China National Precision Machinery Import Export Corporation has delivered 60 C-802 cruise missiles to Iran for use by vessels of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy;

Whereas Iran is acquiring land batteries to launch C-802 cruise missile which will provide its armed forces with a weapon of greater range, reliability, accuracy, and mobility than before;

Whereas 15,000 members of the United States Armed Forces are stationed within range of the C-802 cruise missile being acquired by Iran;

Whereas the Department of State believes that `[t]hese cruise missiles pose new, direct threats to deployed United States forces';

Whereas the delivery of cruise missiles to Iran is a violation of the Iran-Iraq Arms Non-Proliferation Act of 1992 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note); and

Whereas the Clinton Administration `has concluded at present that the known types [of C-802 cruise missiles ] are not of a destabilizing number and type': Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate urges the Clinton Administration to enforce the Iran-Iraq Arms Non-Proliferation Act of 1992 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note) with respect to the acquisition by Iran of C-802 model cruise missiles or to carry out an alternative policy that would address such acquisition in a manner similar to that provided for in that Act.

U.S. Law: The Iran-Iraq Arms Non-Proliferation Act of 1992 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note) prohibits foreign persons from delivering advanced conventional weapons, including cruise missiles , to Iran.

Administration Position: The Administration `has concluded at present that the known types [of C-802 missiles ] are not of a destabilizing number and type.

Related:

I became aware of Abu Musa last year...

"Abu Musa Island

Iran has deployed Chinese HY-2 “Silkworm” anti-ship missiles along the Iranian coast of the Persian Gulf, on Abu Musa island, on Qeshm Island and on Sirri Island. On 22 March 1995 US Secretary of Defense William Perry said that Iran had positioned chemical weapons near the Strait of Hormuz. It was reported that Iran had placed chemical weapons on Abu Musa island, specifically 155mm artillery shells.

Iran forcibly seized the Abu Musa island and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs islands from the United Arab Emirates in the early 1970s, although joint sovereignty was maintained until 1994. Iran shared control of Abu Musa with the United Arab Emirates since a 1971 agreement between Iran and the emirate of Sharjah (one of the seven emirates of the UAE). Iran seized two other islands, Greater and Lesser Tunb in 1971. In April 1992, Iran expelled South Asian workers from Abu Musa, asserting full control of the island.

Iran has built up military capabilities on the island, including constructing an airport and upgrading port facilities. In 1994 and 1995 Iran stationed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) soldiers on the islands, as well as US-made Hawk anti-aircraft missile batteries, artillery and eventually Silkworm anti-ship missiles. There were several hundred troops there in October 1994, and by March 1995 the total number of Iranian military people had gone up to over a thousand. As of early 1995 the Iranian presence on Abu Musa included a Hawk battery, some artillery, and about ten Korean War-vintage tanks. Iran also improved some fortifications or berms around the edge of the island. Subsequently, it was suggested Iran had deployed the highly capable C-801 anti-ship missiles (with a range of 130km) on the island.

The islands are strategically located near the Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes. During a press conference on 18 December 1997, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Maleki stated that Iran supported the free flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, but reserved the option of closing off the shipping route if it is threatened.

In March 2000, Jane's Defence Weekly obtained the first commercially-released 1m resolution satellite image of Abu Musa, taken by the IKONOS satellite on 29 October 1999. According to analysis conducted for Jane's, "the most remarkable aspect about Abu Musa is its lack of major military infrastructure and fortification, despite the fact that it has been under Iranian occupation for 29 years." A series of deep cuttings on the northeast part of the island could be a storage complex for vehicles and possibly anti-ship missile systems. "

more at: http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/iran/abu-musa.htm

Here's the link from the Library of Congress:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d105:s.res.00082:

There were more cosponsors:

Sen Ashcroft, John [MO] - 5/5/1997
Sen Brownback, Sam [KS] - 5/5/1997
Sen D'Amato, Alfonse [NY] - 5/5/1997
Sen DeWine, Mike [OH] - 5/23/1997
Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] - 5/5/1997
Sen Graham, Bob [FL] - 5/23/1997
Sen Helms, Jesse [NC] - 5/5/1997
Sen Hutchinson, Tim [AR] - 5/23/1997
Sen Hutchison, Kay Bailey [TX] - 5/5/1997
Sen Inhofe, James M. [OK] - 5/23/1997
Sen McConnell, Mitch [KY] - 5/23/1997
Sen Smith, Bob [NH] - 5/12/1997
Sen Thompson, Fred [TN] - 5/23/1997

The congressional record has a letter that was sent to UN Ambassador Albright:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r105:1:./temp/~r105N6vxV1::

"Dear Secretary Albright: During 1996 Chinese defense companies delivered a number of missile boats to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy. Each missile boat was armed with four C-802 cruise missiles. Recently, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Robert Einhorn told the Senate, `These cruise missiles pose new, direct threats to deployed U.S. forces.'

It is now my understanding that China is about to deliver the land variant of the C-802 to Iran. When the Iranian Revolutionary Guard acquires C-802s in quantity, it will have a weapon with greater range, reliability, accuracy, and mobility than anything currently in its inventory.

The delivery of advanced cruise missiles to Iran is a violation of the Gore-McCain Act. However, in answer to my query on this issue in January, you answered, `The Administration has concluded at present that the known transfers (of C-802s) are not of a destabilizing number and type.'

However, I believe that the arrival of additional C-802s in Iran is a matter of grave concern to the United States, and the Administration has an obligation either to sanction the perpetrators or put in motion an alternative policy of equivalent strength.

Sincerely,

Robert F. Bennett,
U.S. Senator.

Thanks. This is getting deeper.

""Iran will defend itself against the United States and Israel with the Russian systems Tor M-1", titrated Vedomosti with the one."

A very good friend of mine has been absorbed by the liberal groupthink in his universe-ity. He believes that Ahmadinijad should have nuclear weapons because it would stop the US from invading them. He also believes that Dick Cheney is evil.

Despite all my knowledge and appeals to reason, he's been swallowed up by the anti-god crowd. It's a strange religion.

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