ACCESSION NUMBER:221923 FILE ID:PO-404 DATE:04/02/92 TITLE:NO EVIDENCE ISRAEL TRANSFERRED PATRIOT TECHNOLOGY (04/02/92) TEXT:*92040204.POL NO EVIDENCE ISRAEL TRANSFERRED PATRIOT TECHNOLOGY (U.S. gives Israel "clean bill of health") (440) By Edmund F. Scherr USIA Diplomatic Correspondent Washington -- A U.S. inspection team "found no evidence that Israel has transferred a Patriot missile or Patriot missile technology" to another country, the State Department said in a prepared statement April 2. "We plan no further action on this question with Israel and consider the matter closed," spokesman Margaret Tutwiler added at the regular department briefing. "As far as we are concerned, based on the results of this mission, the Israeli government has a clean bill of health on the Patriot issue." Numerous recent press reports, citing leaked intelligence reports, speculated that Israel had secretly resold a Patriot missile and its technology to China. Last week a team of U.S. experts went to Israel to investigate that charge and to question Israel about laws governing the resale of other U.S. weapons and technology. Tutwiler said that those officials who had leaked the intelligence reports about the Patriot allegations to the press "owe both the United States government and the Israeli government an apology." The spokesman made it plain that the United States government would have "preferred to pursue the Patriot missile question through diplomatic channels" rather than through a much-publicized inspection mission. She expressed the department's appreciation to the Israeli government, "especially the Defense Ministry, for the superb cooperation it gave to our team." Questioned about a reported statement by U.S. Ambassador to Israel William Harrop that he would recommend a U.S. apology in the Patriot matter, she noted that the ambassador had expressed his "personal views." Following is the text of Tutwiler's statement on the Patriot team report: (begin text) I have a short statement on the recent Patriot mission. First, we would like to express our appreciation to the Israeli government, especially the Defense Ministry, for the superb cooperation it gave to our team. Secondly, the United States government would have preferred to pursue the Patriot missile question through diplomatic channels. Third, as I said last week and the secretary repeated this morning, those who leaked intelligence reports owe both the United States government and 1he Israeli government an apology. Fourth, our team found no evidence that Israel had transferred a Patriot missile or Patriot missile technology. We plan no further action on this question with Israel and consider the matter closed. Fifth, as far as we are concerned, based on the results of this mission, the Israeli government has a clean bill of health on the Patriot issue. (end text) NNNN .