Contending that wire-bonding machines were available to the Soviet Union from non COCOM-controlled foreign sources, Commerce Secretary Robert Mosbacher decided -- despite vigorous objections from the Defense Department and a contrary finding from the U.S. intelligence community -- to utilize his authority under the Export Administration Act to decontrol this technology.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy

To do so, he would have to intervene personally and make a number of burdensome findings in order to overrule a determination of mass market or foreign availability made by his Secretary of Commerce.

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Zoellick could also be eclipsed by Paul Evans, the nominee for Commerce secretary, and high-profile foreign policy nominees Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld and Condeleeza Rice.

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"The definitions of those terms -- 'mass-market status' and 'foreign availability' -- are so sweeping that they would essentially command the secretary of commerce to decontrol a tremendous amount of sensitive equipment, " said Gary Milhollin, director of the Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control.

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