State Dept. called decision to lift ban on export of satellite co...

State Dept. called decision to lift ban on export of satellite components to China “premature” as it denied recent Washington Post report that Bush Administration considered allowing the sale of spare parts for U.S.-made Black Hawk helicopters it purchased in 1984. There are other possible waiver cases pending, State official said: “We're not foreclosing those other possibilities… We're reviewing each case on its own merit, but there is a possibility of other waivers coming.” Bush will meet with Chinese President Jiang Zemin today (Oct. 19), but it was unknown whether specific sanctions might be discussed in continuing effort to ease tensions between countries so they could exchange intelligence in fight against terrorism. Members of satellite industry have faced stiff regulations on components aboard non-U.S. satellites since export licensing was moved to State Dept. from Commerce Dept. 2 years ago. Winning approval to launch from or export satellite components to China has been especially difficult. Predicting exactly what will happen when heads of 2 countries meet is “very hard,” Satellite Industry Assn. Pres. Richard Dalbello said: “There is a problem with the relationship between the U.S. and China and there are a number of key issues… If the overall climate with China gets better, more things become possible.” It isn’t “connect-the-dots” procedure in which U.S. waiving sanctions would lead directly to China’s sharing intelligence on Afghanistan or terrorists in that area, Dalbello said: “It’s not that mechanistic.” Source close to Loral, which had its export license suspended in 1998, said company “is not going to pin its hopes” on President’s 2-day meeting for battle it has fought for 2 years.