US to warn Russia of laser tests in space

The United States says it is ready to share with Russia information on military laser shots into space, so as to avoid damaging each other's satellites.

A White House official told reporters that the matter was discussed with Russian envoys last month in Washington.

An American test last October proved the effectiveness of lasers as anti-satellite weapons, which prompted President Boris Yeltsin to write to President Bill Clinton expressing alarm.

The United States already has a system of warning American commercial satellite operators of test laser shots into space and the official said exchange of information with Russia could work along similar lines.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service