U.S. Military Start Moscow Talks On Millennium Bug

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link: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/tc/story.html?s=v/nm/19990218/tc/millennium_1.html

U.S. Military Start Moscow Talks On Millennium Bug

By Adam Tanner

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Members of a Defense Department delegation began talks with their Russian counterparts Thursday aimed at finding solutions to millennium computer problems and other military issues, officials said.

The talks mark a growing Russian willingness to acknowledge the millennium bug or Y2K problem, which stems from a fault in which computer software developed in the 1960s and 1970s mistakes the year 2000 for 1900.

Some experts have warned that such an error could provoke an accidental nuclear alert in Russia, though the Russian Defense Ministry says there is no chance of missiles being triggered by mistake.

``There have been lower level discussions on this subject through other Department of Defense programs but this is the first official meeting to coordinate Y2K planning,'' said U.S. embassy spokesman David Firestein.

``It's hoped by the close of the talks, which should end tomorrow, that there will be some agreement on specific areas of Y2K cooperation,'' he said.

The Russian Defense Ministry earlier this year said the millennium bug was a problem and said it was seeking advice from Washington. It is not clear if the problem affects the strategic missile command system.

Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Kostyshin downplayed the significance of the U.S.-Russian meetings this week.

``These are routine talks -- nothing special -- of the Russian-American consultative group on defense questions,'' he said. ``They are not negotiations between defense ministries. How can any document or decision be made? We expect the completion of work and that's all.''

Military affairs journalist Pavel Felgenhauer, writing in the Moscow Times daily Thursday, said the Russian military was reluctant to cooperate with the United States on the millennium bug and said some officials saw the talks as a U.S. intelligence-gathering effort.

``The Russian military will receive the U.S. delegation cordially, but try to 'share' as little information as possible,'' he wrote. ``Exposing Russia's military computer backwardness to Americans could undermine the threat potential of Russia's nuclear deterrent.''

``Instead of improving an already wobbly partnership, attempts at Russian-U.S. Y2K cooperation have up to now only enhanced mutual mistrust,'' he concluded.

The Pentagon group is also expected to discuss future military cooperation, security threats, confidence- building measures among members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, fulfillment of the START 1 arms control agreement and future disarmament negotiations, Kostyshin said.

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Threat Reduction Edward Warner is leading the U.S. delegation, which includes a special team of computer experts. They are expected to finish the talks Friday.

-- Deborah (reuters@yahoo.com), February 18, 1999

Answers

This chaps me to no end. First they want us to give them 3 billion, then they say that attemps "have up to now only enhanced mutual mistrust". Don't get me wrong, I don't want an accident of this nature (or any nature) to happen 01-01-2000, but heck... they are shooting the horse before the cart even arrives.

Right now, after reading this mess, I hope that my tax dollars do NOT go over there.

-- (cannot-say@this.time), February 18, 1999.


cannot-say,

Another thing about this is that a bunch of their unfortunate citizens at this time are without heat, and probably any decent food, yet last week those geniuses wanted to test this 'satlite reflector' to light the northern most parts of their country (who cares about the ecosystem of the WORLD). Now I'm thinking, why don't you feed your people first? And, why don't you fix y2k with the money for the stupid satalite or the space program?

People, they have not changed at all. Their citizens suffer while money on military is still being spent. It's completely disgusting. We shouldn't give them money for ANYTHING the people will STILL STARVE, and the gov. will only use OUR MONEY (as in hard earned) to ARM OUR ENEMIES. Their soldiers aren't even being fed for goodness sake, and if they aren't being fed, do you think the 'political' prisoners in the Gulag are being fed? NOT.

I think I will go throw up now.

-- Deborah (stalinfrying@hell.now), February 18, 1999.


Deborah, I agree with you. No matter how we help them, it doesn't appear that it will go to feed the people that are already there. However, if we do nothing, there will be meltdowns and people will die. I hate to say it, but I think it is high time this country puts itself first. We cannot feed everyone. We cannot secure every country. We need to look after ourselves first, then the others. When everyone in this country is taken care of, then we should take care of the rest. Where does Russia get the money to work on the space program when it cannot pay the people it has working? How come that money doesn't go for food? or heat? Or... could it be possible that they do have the money (from sale of whatever to the underworld....) and that they are using it to beef up the military? I am thinking that the Russians may possibly be pulling one off on their own people. Just think about it... if things get really bad (as if they aren't now) will they not wish/demand the old government back? Think about that one for a while. All is not well on that front, at least from what I can see...

-- (cannot-say@this.time), February 18, 1999.

Cannot-say,

There is also alot more anti-American sentiment there in the general population than there used to be. It would be very easy to blame Democracy for their empty stomaches. It really is very sad.

When the Berlin Wall came down a Bible verse came to mind (not to preach or anything) but it says...by peace he shall destroy many.

It's foolish to expect domestic tranquility there in such a short time, social change doesn't happen instantly. But I don't think things look good over there & I have a very bad feeling about this.

There are too many signs that it's right back to the old status quo.

sigh.

-- Deborah (getout@gettins.good), February 18, 1999.


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