U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Assistant Secretary/Spokesman
Taken Questions of December 6, 1993

1.  SPACE STATION MEETING
Q:   What occurred at the Space Station Meeting today in the
Department?

A:   REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SPACE STATION PARTNER GOVERNMENTS
(UNITED STATES, CANADA, JAPAN, AND THE FOLLOWING MEMBER STATES
OF THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY:  BELGIUM, DENMARK, FRANCE,
GERMANY, ITALY, THE NETHERLANDS, NORWAY, SPAIN, AND THE UNITED
KINGDOM) DECIDED TODAY TO EXTEND A FORMAL INVITATION TO THE
GOVERNMENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION TO JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION PROGRAM.

THIS DECISION FOLLOWS FROM THE AGREEMENT OF THE PARTNER
GOVERNMENTS AT THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL MEETING IN PARIS ON OCTOBER
16, 1993 TO EXPLORE COLLECTIVELY WITH RUSSIA THE POSSIBILITY OF
RUSSIAN PARTNERSHIP IN THE SPACE STATION PROGRAM, AND TO WORK
TOGETHER TO DEVELOP AN INTEGRATED PLAN FOR RUSSIAN INVOLVEMENT. 
IT IS THE RESULT OF INTENSIVE CONSULTATIONS AMONG THE PARTNERS.

THE PARTNER GOVERNMENTS ALSO AGREED TO WORK TOGETHER IN THE
MONTHS AHEAD ON THE NECESSARY LEGAL INSTRUMENTS TO INCLUDE
RUSSIA IN THE PARTNERSHIP.  THE EXPANDED PARTNERSHIP WILL
OPERATE IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL
AGREEMENT OF SEPTEMBER 29, 1988 ON COOPERATION IN THE DETAILED
DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, OPERATION AND UTILIZATION OF THE
PERMANENTLY MANNED CIVIL SPACE STATION.

THIS JOINT INVITATION IS BEING CONVEYED TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
RUSSIAN FEDERATION THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS.


2.  CHINA
Q.  Do you have any comment on reports that Chinese dissident Ma
Shaohua has disappeared?

A.  WE HAVE SEEN MEDIA REPORTS THAT SEVERAL CHINESE POLITICAL
DISSIDENTS, COLLEAGUES OF MA SHAOHUA (MAH SHAO HWAH), HAVE BEEN
DETAINED BY CHINESE POLICE RECENTLY.  MAÕS DISAPPEARANCE RAISES
THE CONCERN THAT HE TOO HAS BEEN DETAINED BY POLICE.  WE HAVE
REPEATEDLY CALLED UPON THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE ALL
PRISONERS HELD PURELY FOR THE PEACEFUL EXPRESSION OF THEIR
POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS VIEWS.

--THE PRESIDENT'S MAY 28 EXECUTIVE ORDER PLACING CONDITIONS ON
RENEWAL OF CHINA'S MOST-FAVORED NATION TRADING STATUS IN 1994
CLEARLY SPECIFIES THAT "RELEASING AND PROVIDING AN ACCEPTABLE
ACCOUNTING FOR CHINESE CITIZENS IMPRISONED OR DETAINED FOR THE
NONVIOLENT EXPRESSION OF THEIR POLITICAL OR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
IS ONE OF THE CONDITIONS FOR RENEWAL.


3.  UKRAINE WORKING GROUPS
Q:   Have the working groups on Ukraine mentioned by Secretary
Christopher in Brussels convened yet?  If not, when might they
meet, and what will be their composition?

A:  SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER AND UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ZLENKO
TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF CREATING ADDITIONAL WORKING
GROUPS DURING THEIR DECEMBER 3 MEETING IN BRUSSELS.  DETAILS,
HOWEVER, HAVE NOT YET BEEN DISCUSSED.  WE WILL BE WORKING WITH
UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS TO IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE WORKING GROUPS MIGHT
BE USEFUL IN ADVANCING OUR BILATERAL INTERESTS.(###)

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