RESTRICTED
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
Telephone 01- 270 2276
+
3
Pa Asiasat NH 14/3
J Milne Esq
BNSC
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
HKC0319
RECEIVER
¿ ÞEGISTRY 15 MAR 1990
DESK OF
Dear John,
INDEA
Your reference
Our reference
Date
28 February 1990
ASIASAT: COCOM
1. It may be helpful to set out where things stand on consideration of ASIASAT by COCOM.
2.
The US is required to submit a security plan for approval by COCOM before the satellite can be launched. It has not yet done so. The Americans have prepared a security plan and shown it to us informally on a bilateral basis. We are satisfied that the plan contains adequate protection against the unauthorised transfer of technology and will our approval as soon as the plan is formally tabled at COCOM.
3.
The normal procedure is for the Americans to table their security plan at one of the weekly meetings of COCOM in Paris. Once the plan has been tabled, delegates will then have 8 weeks in which to report whether or not they can approve the plan.
4.
It may be that the Americans think that showing us the security plan on a bilateral basis will be sufficient and that they can avoid the need to go through the formal COCOM procedures. We are making clear to them in Paris however that we expect them to carry out their earlier undertaking to seek formal coCOM approval. Any other arrangement would set an unfortunate precedent for the future. We are prepared however to do what we can to encourage prompt replies when the security plan is tabled.
Yours,
Richard
cc: Mr Glover, BNSC Ms Major, I+KD
RN2AAY
R J Northern
Science, Energy & Nuclear Dept
Page 330Page 331