16 July 1999
On July 15, the Chinese government published a rebuttal to the Cox Committee report on Chinese espionage, arguing that "To achieve [its] political purpose, the [Cox] report leaves no stone unturned to distort facts, substitute one thing for another, make subjective assumptions and groundless accusations and resort to demagoguery." The rebuttal document, which alludes to a Chinese neutron bomb capability, is entitled "Facts Speak Louder Than Words and Lies Will Collapse by Themselves." It is posted at
http://www.fas.org/sgp/news/1999/07/chinacox/index.html
The FBI failed to properly disseminate the intelligence information it possessed
concerning Chinese involvement in campaign finance violations, according
to a Department of Justice Inspector General (IG) report released July 14.
The FBI's "undue reluctance" to share classified information obstructed a
congressional investigation of campaign finance irregularities. A copy of
the unclassified executive summary of the IG report is posted at
http://www.fas.org/sgp/news/1999/07/dojoig.html
The National Academy of Sciences will host a symposium on August 2 and 3
entitled "Finding the Balance: Scientific Openness and National Security."
Panelists will examine proposals for amending security policies at the national
laboratories and will consider the risks and benefits of scientific openness
in this context. The symposium, to be held in Washington, DC, will be open
to the public. For further information, see
http://www.fas.org/sgp/news/1999/07/nassymp.html
On July 14, Energy Secretary Bill Richardson announced revised procedures
governing visits by foreign nationals to U.S. national laboratories.
The measures, which generally strengthen the role of counterintelligence
and increase the Secretary's own authority, are described in a DOE press
release at
http://www.fas.org/sgp/news/1999/07/doe071499.html
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Steven Aftergood
Project on Government Secrecy
Federation of American Scientists