Nuclear Nonproliferation: Licensing Procedures for Dual-Use Exports Need
Strengthening (Testimony, 05/17/94, GAO/T-NSIAD-94-163).

Iraq's use of so-called dual-use equipment--items with civilian uses
that can also be used to build nuclear explosives or produce weapons
grade uranium and plutonium--has raised concerns about the effectiveness
of export controls over this material.  The United States approved more
than 1,500 licenses for dual-use items, mainly high-speed computers, to
eight countries with suspected nuclear weapons programs, significantly
increasing the risk that U.S. exports are fueling nuclear proliferation.
Weaknesses in the interagency licensing review process have resulted in
the approval of a number of sensitive license applications without
review by the Energy Department or other members of the Subgroup on
Nuclear Export Coordination, an interagency group.  U.S. government
approval of sensitive exports dictates the need for effective ways to
prevent or detect export diversions, but GAO discovered several
weaknesses in current procedures.  These include (1) inadequate criteria
for selecting prelicense checks and postshipment verifications, (2)
ineffective methods used to do these inspections, and (3) a lack of
verification of government-to-government assurances against unclear end
uses.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-NSIAD-94-163
     TITLE:  Nuclear Nonproliferation: Licensing Procedures for Dual-Use 
             Exports Need Strengthening
      DATE:  05/17/94
   SUBJECT:  Dual-use technologies
             Nuclear proliferation
             Interagency relations
             Foreign governments
             Technology transfer
             Licenses
             Exporting
             Export regulation
             Inspection
             International relations
IDENTIFIER:  Dept. of Commerce Nuclear Non-Proliferation Special Country 
             List
             Dept. of Commerce Nuclear Referral List
             Argentina
             Brazil
             India
             Iran
             Iraq
             Israel
             Pakistan
             South Africa
             Syria
             
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