ACCESSION NUMBER:303942
FILE ID:POL502
DATE:09/17/93
TITLE:STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 (09/17/93)
TEXT:*93091702.POL
STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
1China, North Korea, Haiti) (600)
NEWS BRIEFING -- Spokesman Michael McCurry discussed the following topics:
U.S. ASKS CHINA NOT TO CONDUCT UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR TESTS
McCurry said the United States has been trying to dissuade the Chinese from
conducting underground nuclear tests, noting that "we would view a nuclear
weapons test by China or any other nation with serious concern."
He said that senior U.S. officials have been in contact with Chinese
officials since late July about U.S. concerns and that many countries also
have discussed this issue directly with the Chinese in recent weeks.
The Washington Post September 17 said the U.S. intelligence community has
concluded that China is about to conduct its first underground nuclear test
in nearly a year.
McCurry stressed that the environment for negotiating a comprehensive test
ban would be much stronger if other nations observed a moratorium on
testing such as the one that President Clinton announced.
"Negotiating a comprehensive test ban treaty by 1996 remains an important
administration objective, and it is also a directive from the U.S.
Congress," he pointed out.
"It becomes much harder once one country tests for other countries to then
continue to refrain from their testing," the spokesman continued.
McCurry would not speculate on the U.S. response if the Chinese did conduct
an underground test.
But he pointed to U.S. concerns about China in several areas and expressed
the U.S. hope "that we can achieve successful resolutions of our concerns
on issues whether they be human rights, proliferation," or other issues.
He reminded questioners that the United States has not taken a position on
the Chinese bid to host the summer Olympics in the year 2000. He did not
know if nuclear testing would be a factor in the International Olympic
Committee's consideration of China.
NO RESUMPTION YET OF U.S.-NORTH KOREAN TALKS
Questioned as to when the United States might resume direct talks with North
Korea on nuclear non-proliferation matters, McCurry noted that "the United
States had discussed with North Korea the specific conditions that would be
necessary for resuming a third round of high-level talks." He added that
"those conditions have not been met; therefore, there has been no
scheduling of a third round of talks."
Later a State Department official told reporters that Robert Gallucci,
assistant secretary of state for politico-military affairs, had informed
North Korean officials by letter of the U.S. position concerning a third
round of talks. The North Korean response, received this week, was
"negative," he said, but left open the possibility of some discussion of
issues.
U.S. CONCERNED AT HAITIAN VIOLENCE
McCurry told journalists that "the situation in Haiti is of very great
concern to the United States" and the administration is "troubled by the
reports of continuing violence."
He urged all factions to implement the recent Governor's Island accord for
Haiti "rapidly" and added, "It's clear that an international presence and
training for the establishment of a police (force) would make a
difference."
"So, too," he added, "would the (Haitian) military taking responsibility for
the conditions that exist now in Haiti." He left open the possibility that
the United States would support the re-imposition of the United Nations
1mbargo against Haiti if violence there does not stop.
The spokesman later issued a statement saying a delegation of high-level
administration officials -- led by Alexander Watson, assistant secretary of
state for inter-American affairs, and Lawrence Pezzulo, the secretary's
special adviser on Haiti -- would travel to Port-au-Prince September 20 to
express support for Haiti's newly installed constitutional government.
NNNN
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
