Deputy State Department Spokesman James Foley briefed.

RUSSIA/CHINA/IRAN/MISSILE PROLIFERATION -- The United States is "very concerned by reports indicating that Russian entities may have provided ballistic missile related assistance to Iran," according to Foley.

(In a front-page Washington Times story published September 10, Bill Gertz reported that Russia and China are working closely with Iran in building long-range nuclear missiles that could be deployed within three years.)

Foley said U.S. officials have been in constant contact with high-level Russian authorities about the issue and that "the Russian government continues to assure us that it is committed to the highest nonproliferation standards." But he added that "while we appreciate such assurances, we remain disturbed by the discrepancy between these assurances and reports of Russian firms cooperating with Iran."

The United States has been doing all it can to block missiles or missile technology from reaching Iran, given Iran's status as a "rogue state" and an exporter of terrorism.

As for China, "any missile-related cooperation with Iran is of serious concern to the United States," Foley said, "and we continue to monitor and evaluate reports of any transfer that could contribute to missile programs of concern." Foley noted that in October 1994, China agreed to ban all exports of ground-to-ground missiles under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). He added that the United States has "no evidence that China has conducted activities inconsistent with this commitment."

U.S. law, Foley noted, is very clear about proliferation activities and "the threshold for applying sanctions in any of these cases is high." But, he said, the United States has not yet made the determination "that any of the reports that we've seen are tantamount to sanctionable activity.... If we have the evidence that these (Russian or Chinese) entities, or any entities are in violation, then we will apply the law."

BOSNIA/ELECTIONS -- Despite threats from Bosnian Serb and Croat hardliners to boycott the municipal elections set for September 13 and 14, "the United States government and the international community fully expect that the elections will go ahead as scheduled," Foley said. "Those who do not support the election process are interfering with the implementation of Dayton; they are disenfranchising their own voters; and they are harming the democratic process," he said. "We call on the political leaders to meet their responsibilities to their voters."

(Reuter News Service, however, reported that on September 10 that Bosnian Serb nationalist hardliners withdrew their threat to boycott the elections after their leaders held talks with international mediators and Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. Croat nationalist leaders, who announced on September 9 their boycott of the elections, have yet to withdraw their threat.)

Following are Middle East/South Asia excerpts from the transcript:

(Begin excerpts)

-- RUSSIA/CHINA/IRAN NUCLEAR MISSILES --

Q: Are Russia and China working with Iran in building long-range nuclear missiles?

FOLEY: Well, as you know, the United States has been concerned for some time about -- seriously concerned about Iranian efforts worldwide to acquire missile technology. Indeed we're very concerned by reports indicating that Russian entities may have provided ballistic missile-related assistance to Iran.

We take these reports very seriously, and have raised our concerns repeatedly, and at the highest levels of the Russian Government The Russian Government continues to assure us that it is committed to the highest non-proliferation standards. While we appreciate such assurances, we remain disturbed by the discrepancy between these assurances and reports of Russian firms cooperating with Iran. Giving the far-reaching implications of this matter, we will continue to pursue it at the highest levels.

We've been in constant contact with Russian authorities on this issue, again, as I said, at the highest levels. The President and President Yeltsin discussed this at the Helsinki Summit and at Denver. They agreed to raise the level and accelerate the pace of our contacts. The Vice President and Prime Minister Chernomyrdin have an ongoing dialogue on Iran. I note that they are going to be meeting in Moscow again in a couple weeks. And Secretary Albright and Foreign Minister Primakov have discussed this issue of serious concern to the United States.

Finally, in early August, former Ambassador Frank Wisner led a small interagency team to Moscow to discuss ways we can work together to prevent missile technology from reaching Iran, and we expect this effort will continue.

As for China -- I think you mentioned that as well -- I would only say that any missile- related cooperation with Iran is of serious concern to the United States, and we continue to monitor and evaluate reports of any transfer that could contribute to missile programs of concern.

In October of 1994, China agreed to ban all exports of MTCR Class ground-to-ground missiles. We have no evidence that China has conducted activities inconsistent with this commitment. We strongly oppose any missile cooperation with Iran and have raised these issues also with the government of China in the past, and we will continue to do so.

Q: So while your concern about Russia involves ongoing cooperation, your China concerns were allayed by this 1994 commitment; is that right?

FOLEY: No, I would not say that our concerns have been allayed. Any missile cooperation with Iran is of serious and ongoing concern to the United States, and we keep these matters under intensive review. As you know, we have very clear legislation and law to apply on these matters, and we take our responsibility seriously. The threshold for applying sanctions in any of these cases is high. The law is very specific on when sanctions can be imposed. We have not made the determination, at this point, that any of the reports that we've seen are tantamount to sanctionable activity, have met the specific thresholds. The law is the law, and when we're able to make such a determination, if we are, we will apply the law.

Q: I just want to make sure I'm clear on this, though. You're concerned -- you believe that Russia may be actively cooperating with Iran in this area?

FOLEY: I didn't say that. I think the reports you're referring to refer to Russian entities, private or commercial entities.

Q: Right. So you're --

FOLEY: And we take then seriously. As I said -- I can repeat that we are grateful for the assurances we've received from the Russian Government. We're grateful for their commitment to work with us and to cooperate.

I note Ambassador Wisner's visit and his ongoing mission in this regard. But we are disturbed by the discrepancy between the assurances we've received and the reports -- the continuing reports that Russian firms are cooperating with Iran.

Q: Well, do you think the government is capable of keeping control on these firms? I would say that apparently there were some statements out of Moscow today in which the government says basically it would know if these entities were actually doing this.

FOLEY: Well, we hope that they can maintain that kind of control. We credit their assurance that the Russian Government is committed to the highest non-proliferation standards. But regardless of that, our law is clear. If we have the evidence that these entities or any entities are in violation, then we will apply the law.

Q: I would like to turn back to the Iranian missile subject. In the last couple of years, the United States posed concern about this Iranian nuclear program, the missile program and the Russian cooperation and Chinese cooperation. But today's news show that the Iranian missile threat one of your NATO allies, Turkey, other one is the Israel and the Central Asia to some vested interest.

Do you planning to some constructive, other than to condemn, concern, something that is substantial thing to against Iran?

FOLEY: Well, we have a concerted across-the-board effort to deny Iran not only the weapons of this nature, themselves, but also the means to acquire such weapons through our economic sanctions and approach.

So I think, in every conceivable way, we are making this one of our highest foreign policy priorities. These efforts -- Iranian efforts -- to acquire weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them indeed pose a threat to some of our closest friends and allies in the world. That's why we think everyone has a stake in addressing this issue very seriously.

-- ALGERIA --

Q: What do you have on Algeria? Your ambassador met with the president there today.

FOLEY: Yes. It was Ambassador Neumann's farewell call on President Zeroual. He made a statement at the close of that meeting, and I can make that available to you if you'd like. I can draw from the highlights now, but it might be easier just to release it.

Q: Specifically, I was wondering if you could shed some light on his -- apparently his statement that we support military measures consistent with the rule of law, which was taken as a green light to the Algerian Government to crack down on Islamic militants.

FOLEY: Well, I can only refer you to his statement, and I don't see that in his statement. He noted that the United States Government condemns the horrible massacres, bombings and attacks on Algerian civilians that have taken place recently. He said, indeed -- I'm coming to it -- that we support military measures that are consistent with the rule of law to protect civilians. I think that statement is very clear.

-- SAUDI EXTRADITION --

Q: The Saudi who may or may not be extradited back to Saudi Arabia?

FOLEY: Do you have a question?

Q: Well, what are you hearing from the Saudis on this one? I mean, have they applied --

FOLEY: Well, they have indicated that they will seek Mr. Al-Sayegh's extradition to Saudi Arabia. That's really all I have.

Q: Nothing in paper yet from them.

FOLEY: Nothing that we regard as a formal definitive request.

(End excerpts)