U.S. SAID UNFAIRLY PROTECTING DEFENSE INDUSTRY
Britain's Defence Minister George Younger
said the U.S. Was unfairly protecting its defence industry, and
this could lead to British firms demanding counter-measures.
    Younger told a U.S. Chamber of Commerce meeting that U.S.
Legislators were failing to realise "the true nature of the
two-way street in terms of ideas, technology and equipment.
    A British parliamentary report said that up to March
British firms had been awarded just 34 mln dlrs worth of
contracts for the Strategic Defence Initiative, compared with
the 1.5 billion dlrs Britain had hoped to secure.
    The committee said U.S. Technology export restrictions and
"selectiveness" towards foreign contractors had denied British
competitors more lucrative orders and largely excluded them
from technological research for SDI.
    Younger said London had given U.S. Companies contracts
under conditions of fair and open competition. "All we ask is
for our companies to be given similar opportunities," he added.
    If new American legislation aimed at curbing unfair
subsidies was used to exclude foreign suppliers it would not be
surprising if British firms pressed for retaliatory measures,
Younger said.
 REUTER
