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Disarmament DiplomacyIssue No. 41, November 1999Clinton Extends State of Emergency over WMDOn November 10, President Clinton issued his latest renewal of a state of national emergency relating to weapons of mass destruction (WMD), a state first announced on November 14, 1994. In a report submitted to Congress he presented a detailed survey of a range of US non-proliferation efforts, excerpts from which are given below:India/Pakistan/CTBT "[H]igh-level US dialogues with Indian and Pakistani officials have yielded little progress. In September 1998, Indian and Pakistani leaders had expressed a willingness to sign the CTBT. ... The Indian election, the Kargil conflict, and the October political coup in Pakistan have further complicated the issue, although neither side has renounced its commitment. Pakistan has said it will not sign the Treaty until India does. … Pakistan's Foreign Minister stated… September 12, 1999, that Pakistan would not consider signing the CTBT until sanctions are removed." Senate Rejection of CTBT "I deeply regret the Senate's decision... we hope that, at an appropriate time, the Senate will reconsider this treaty in a manner that will ensure a fair and thorough hearing process and will allow for more thoughtful debate." Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) "With 35 member states, the...NSG is a widely accepted… effective export-control arrangement. At its May 1999 Plenary and related meetings in Florence, Italy, the NSG considered new members (although none were accepted at that meeting), reviewed efforts to enhance transparency, and pursued efforts to streamline procedures and update control lists. The NSG created an Implementation Working Group, chaired by the UK, to consider changes to the guidelines, membership issues, the relationship with the NPT Exporters (Zangger) Committee, and controls on brokering. The Transparency Working Group was tasked with preparing a report on NSG activities for presentation at the 2000 NPT Review Conference by the Italian chair." Chemical and Biological Weapons (CBW) "The Chemical Weapons Convention [CWC] Implementation Act of 1998 was enacted into US law in October 1998... My Administration published an Executive Order on June 25, 1999, to facilitate implementation of the Act and is working to publish regulations regarding industrial declarations and inspections of industrial facilities. Submissions of these declarations...will enable the United States to be fully compliant with the CWC. United States non-compliance to date has, among other things, undermined US leadership...as well as our ability to encourage other States parties to make complete, accurate, and timely declarations. ... We participate actively in the Ad Hoc Group (AHG) of States Parties striving to complete a legally binding protocol to strengthen and enhance compliance with the [Biological Weapons Convention, BWC]... The United States is working towards completion of the substance of a strong Protocol next year. ... The United States continues to be a leading participant in the 30-member Australia Group (AG) chemical and biological weapons non-proliferation regime. ... At the 1999 Plenary [October 4-8 1999], the Group continued to focus on strengthening AG export controls and sharing information to address the threat of CBW terrorism. The AG also reaffirmed its commitment to continue its active outreach program of briefings for non-AG countries, and to promote regional consultations on export controls and non-proliferation... The AG discussed ways to be more proactive in stemming attacks on the AG in the CWC and BWC contexts." Missiles "The MTCR held its Fourteenth Plenary Meeting in… The Netherlands, on October 11-15. At the Plenary, the [32] Partners shared information about activities of missile proliferation concern worldwide. ... Partners gave special attention to DPRK missile activities and also discussed the threat posed by missile-related activities in South and North East Asia and the Middle East. ... Since September 1999, it has been our understanding that the DPRK will refrain from testing long-range missiles of any kind during our discussions to improve relations. In recognition of this DPRK step, the United States has announced the easing of certain sanctions related to the import and export of many consumer goods. ... During this reporting period, Russia's Government created institutional foundations to implement a newly enacted non-proliferation policy and passed laws to punish wrongdoers… However… some Russian entities continued to cooperate with Iran's ballistic missile program and to engage in nuclear cooperation with Iran beyond the Bushehr reactor project. The administrative measures imposed on ten Russian entities for their missile- and nuclear-related cooperation with Iran remain in effect." Report: Text - Clinton letter to Congress on Weapons of Mass Destruction, United States Information Service, November 12. © 1999 The Acronym Institute. |