Voice of America 4/29/97
BRAZIL / CHEMICAL WEAPONS
BYLINE=GEORGE MEEK
DATELINE=LIMA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: BRAZIL HAS WELCOMED THE ENTRY
INTO FORCE TODAY (TUESDAY) OF THE TREATY
BANNING CHEMICAL WEAPONS, AND SAYS
LATIN AMERICA SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE
REST OF THE WORLD IN THIS REGARD. WE HAVE
DETAILS FROM V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT
GEORGE MEEK IN RIO DE JANEIRO.
TEXT: BRAZIL IS ONE OF THE 76 COUNTRIES
THAT HAVE RATIFIED THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS
BAN TREATY, AND WILL BE A CHARTER MEMBER
OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR
THE PROHIBITION OF THOSE WEAPONS,
WITH HEADQUARTERS IN THE HAGUE.
BRAZIL'S FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS THE
TREATY CAN SERVE AS A MODEL FOR THE
CURRENT DEBATE ON STRENGTHENING THE
1972 TREATY BANNING BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS,
AND FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS FOR PROHIBITION
AND DESTRUCTION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
THE TREATY COMMITS THE COUNTRIES
TO DESTROY THE WORLD ARSENAL OF
CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN TEN YEARS.
BRAZIL SAYS THE PACT IS UNIVERSAL,
NONDISCRIMINATORY, AND READILY
VERIFIABLE.
BRAZIL SAYS IT HAS NEVER PRODUCED OR
ATTEMPTED TO PRODUCE CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
IN 1991, TWO YEARS BEFORE THE CHEMICAL
WEAPONS TREATY WAS SIGNED, BRAZIL JOINED
WITH ARGENTINA AND CHILE IN THE
DECLARATION OF MENDOZA. THEY PLEDGED
NOT TO PRODUCE, BUY, STOCK, USE, OR
TRANSFER CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS.
FOUR OTHER SOUTH AMERICAN NATIONS --
BOLIVIA, ECUADOR, PARAGUAY, AND URUGUAY
-- SIGNED THE DECLARATION LATER.
BRAZIL SAYS LATIN AMERICA PIONEERED IN
BANNING CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS,
AS IT DID IN THE CASE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS,
WITH THE TREATY OF TLATELOLCO.
BRAZIL HOPES THE NEW TREATY WILL MAKE
IT EASIER TO IMPORT SENSITIVE CHEMICALS
THAT WILL BE CONTROLLED BY THE INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATION FOR THE PROHIBITION OF
CHEMICAL WEAPONS. (SIGNED)
NEB/GM/ENE/PT
29-Apr-97 5:39 PM EDT (2139 UTC)
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