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106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 2687

Regarding the sale and transfer of Moskit anti-ship missiles by the Russian

Federation.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JUNE 7 (legislative day, JUNE 6), 2000

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire introduced the following bill; which was read

twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

A BILL

Regarding the sale and transfer of Moskit anti-ship missiles

by the Russian Federation.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Russian Anti-Ship Mis5 sile Nonproliferation Act of 2000’’.

6 SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

7 The purpose of this Act is to prohibit the forgiveness

8 or rescheduling of any bilateral debt owed by the Russian

9 Federation to the United States until the Russian Federa10 tion has terminated all sales and transfers of Moskit anti-
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1 ship missiles that endanger United States national secu2 rity.

3 SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

4 The Congress makes the following findings:

5 (1) In February 2000, the first of two Russian6 built Sovrernenny-class destroyers sold to the Peo7 ple’s Republic of China arrived in the Taiwan Strait,

8 manned by a mixed Russian and Chinese naval crew.

9 Currently, the Russian and Chinese Governments

10 are discussing the sale of 2 additional Sovremenny

11 destroyers.

12 (2) Within weeks after the arrival of the de13 stroyers, the Russians transferred the first of several

14 of the ship’s most lethal weapon, the radar-guided

15 Moskit (also known as Sunburn) anti-ship missile,

16 which can carry either conventional or nuclear war17 heads, and further transfers are planned for the end

18 of 2000.

19 (3) The supersonic Moskit missile, which can be

20 mounted on a naval or mobile land platform, was de21 signed specifically to destroy American aircraft car22 riers and other warships equipped with advanced

23 Aegis radar and battle management systems. The

24 United States Navy considers the missile to be ex25 tremely difficult to defend against.
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1 (4) The Moskit missile has an over-the-horizon

2 range of 65 miles and can deliver a 200-kiloton war3 head in under 2 minutes. One conventional Moskit

4 missile can sink a warship or disable an aircraft car5 rier, causing the deaths of hundreds of American

6 military personnel.

7 (5) The Russian Federation is helping the air

8 force of the Peoples Liberation Army to assemble

9 Suklhoi Su–27 fighter aircraft, which are capable of

10 carrying an air-launched version of the Moskit mis11 sile, which has a longer range than the sea-launched

12 version. The Russian Federation is reportedly dis13 cussing the sale of air-launched Moskit missiles to

14 the People’s Republic of China.

15 (6) Land-, sea-, or air-launched Moskit missiles

16 raise the potential for American casualties and could

17 affect the outcome in any future conflict in the Tai18 wan Strait or South China Sea. The transfer of the

19 missile by China to Iran or other belligerent nations

20 in the Persian Gulf region would increase the poten21 tial for conflict and for American casualties. A

22 Moskit missile mounted on a mobile land platform

23 would be difficult to locate and could wreak havoc

24 on the coastline of the Straits of Hormuz.
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1 SEC. 4. PROHIBITION OF DEBT FORGIVENESS.

2 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the

3 President shall not reschedule or forgive any outstanding

4 bilateral debt owed to the United States by the Russian

5 Federation, until the President certifies to Congress that

6 the Russian Federation has permanently terminated all

7 transfers of Moskit anti-ship missiles that endanger

8 United States national security, particularly transfers to

9 the People’s Republic of China.

10 SEC. 5. REPORTS ON THE TRANSFER BY RUSSIA OF MOSKIT

11 MISSILES.

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the

13 date of the enactment of this Act and every 6 months

14 thereafter, until the certification under section 4, the

15 President shall submit to the Committee on International

16 relations of the House of Representatives and the Com17 mittee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report identi18 fying the status of any contract and the date of the trans19 fer of any version of the Moskit missile that could endan20 ger United States national security, particularly transfers

21 to the People’s Republic of China, occurring on or after

22 June 1, 2000.

23 (b) SUBMISSION IN CLASSIFIED FORM.—Reports

24 submitted under subsection (a), or appropriate parts

25 thereof, may be submitted in classified form.

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