State Dept.'s Restrictions Hinder Visit by Scientist

A Soviet scientist may finally be permitted to visit Stanford University this spring after months of negotiations with the State Department over matters of national security.

Nickolay Umnov, a Soviet robotics expert, may be allowed to come to the United States it his research involves "pure science" and is "academic in nature." James Jatras, a spokesman for the State Department in the Office of Soviet Union Affairs, said Thursday.

"Robotics is something we're concerned about" in terms of national defense. Jatras said and added that Soviet applicants are scrutinized more carefully than scientists from other countries.

However, Bernard Roth, a professor of mechanical engineering at Stanford who would be Umnov's host, said yesterday the State Department concerns were "misguided" and "farfetched," Roth added, "there's nothing be could see here" at Stanford that would pose a significant security risk to the United States.

State Depart restrictions would allow Umnov access only to research "intended to result in openly available documents, or for presentation in lectures, seminars or other academic forums." Howard J. Lewis, a spokesman for the National Academy of Sciences--which is coordinating the visit with the Soviet Academy of Science--said Thursday. Lewis added that the restrictions, decided on this month, also prohibit any visits to industries.

Lewis said these limitations represent a reevaluation by the State Department of even stricter restrictions that were proposed initially in January. Stanford refused to comply with the first set of restrictions, which according to Lewis contained stipulations that one "couldn't enforce," prompting the State Department to reconsider its position.

Umnov has not yet filed for a visa, but Gerald Lieberman, vice provost and dean of graduate studies and research at Stanford, said Thursday that he believes Umnov will be coming to the school.

Stanford accepts the new State Department restrictions, Lieberman said, and plans in "treat Umnov as we would any other foreign visitor." He added that this is the first time Stanford has had difficulties with the visit of a foreign scholar.

However, Jatras said that restrictions on Umnov's visit are unrelated to U.S. sanctions on technology transfer to the Soviet Union because of the Polish situation. This is "a policy we've always pursued," he added.

Umnov would visit the United States under the 1959 U.S. Soviet cultural exchange agreement, whereby scholars apply to the respective national academies of science for permission to conduct research. Subject to the approval of the Department of Defense, the State Department, and the restrictions of the export control act, visas are usually granted for one to three months, Lewis said.

In addition to Stanford, Umnov may also visit the University of Wisconsin. Auburn University, and Ohio State University, Lewis said, adding that the State Department must give final approval on a plan for Umnov's visit.