EC says US pipeline ban afoul of international law

August 13, 1982

Arriving in President Reagan's in-box Thursday was a political note from the European Common Market criticizing his technology embargo on the Soviet gas pipeline project.

The 700-word note was enclosed with a 14-page list of detailed legal objections responding to the US Commerce Department's invitation for comments on the embargo by Aug. 21. Among other things, the EC said the embargo is contrary to both international and US law. A consequence cited was a calling into question the ''usefulness of technological links between European and American firms, if contracts could be nullified at any time by decision of the US administration.''