Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=6/11/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233740
TITLE=CLINTON / CHINA SPEECH (L)
BYLINE=DEBORAH TATE
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS DEFENDED HIS DECISION TO TRAVEL TO 
CHINA LATER THIS MONTH -- SAYING ENGAGEMENT WITH BEIJING IS IN 
THE U-S INTEREST.   V-O-A'S DEBORAH TATE REPORTS.
TEXT:  MR. CLINTON ARGUES THAT ISOLATING CHINA WOULD MAKE THE 
WORLD MORE DANGEROUS, HINDER THE CAUSE OF DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN 
RIGHTS IN CHINA, AND CUT OFF ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST IMPORTANT 
MARKETS. 
                     // CLINTON ACTUALITY //
         OVER TIME, THE MORE WE BRING CHINA INTO THE WORLD, THE 
         MORE THE WORLD WILL BRING FREEDOM TO CHINA.
                          // END ACT //
IN A SPEECH TO CHINA EXPERTS GATHERED AT THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC 
SOCIETY HERE IN WASHINGTON, MR. CLINTON SAID HIS POLICY HAS 
YIELDED RESULTS -- FROM BEIJING'S RELEASE OF SEVERAL POLITICAL 
PRISONERS TO ITS EFFORTS TO CURB NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION.      
                     // CLINTON ACTUALITY //
         HAD WE BEEN TRYING TO ISOLATE CHINA, RATHER THAN WORK 
         WITH IT, WOULD CHINA HAVE AGREED TO STOP ASSISTANCE TO 
         IRAN FOR ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM, TO TERMINATE ITS 
         ASSISTANCE TO UNSAFEGUARDED NUCLEAR FACILITIES, SUCH AS 
         THOSE IN PAKISTAN, TO TIGHTEN ITS EXPORT CONTROL SYSTEM,
         TO SELL  NO  MORE ANTI-SHIP CRUISE MISSILES TO IRAN?  
         THESE VITAL DECISIONS WERE ALL IN OUR INTERESTS, AND 
         THEY CLEARLY WERE THE FRUIT OF OUR ENGAGEMENT.
                          // END ACT //
MR. CLINTON NOTED THAT HIS POLICY HAS THE SUPPORT OF U-S ALLIES 
IN  THE REGION, HIS REPUBLICAN PREDECESSORS, AND EVEN SOME 
CHINESE DISSIDENTS.
BUT THERE ARE SOME IN THE REPUBLICAN-LED CONGRESS WHO ARE CALLING
FOR THE PRESIDENT TO POSTPONE OR CANCEL HIS TRIP TO CHINA.       
THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT ALLEGED ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS 
TO THE DEMOCRATS IN THE 1996 ELECTIONS, AND QUESTIONS ABOUT 
SENSITIVE TECHNOLOGY EXPORTS TO CHINA -- TWO ISSUES UNDER 
CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION.
MR. CLINTON DID  NOT  MENTION THE ISSUE OF CAMPAIGN DONATIONS, 
BUT DEFENDED HIS DECISION TO ALLOW U-S FIRMS TO HAVE THEIR 
SATELLITES LAUNCHED ON CHINESE ROCKETS.  
CRITICS SAY THE MOVE MAY HAVE HARMED U-S NATIONAL SECURITY.  MR. 
CLINTON ARGUED OTHERWISE.                       
                     // CLINTON ACTUALITY //
         LICENSING THESE LAUNCHES ALLOWS US TO MEET THE DEMAND 
         FOR AMERICAN SATELLITES, AND HELPS PEOPLE ON EVERY 
         CONTINENT SHARE IDEAS, INFORMATION AND IMAGES, THROUGH 
         TELEVISION, CELL-PHONES AND PAGERS. IN THE CASE OF 
         CHINA, THE POLICY ALSO FURTHERS OUR EFFORTS TO STOP THE 
         SPREAD OF MISSILE TECHNOLOGY BY PROVIDING CHINA WITH 
         INCENTIVES BY OBSERVING NON-PROLIFERATION AGREEMENTS.  
         THIS POLICY HAS CLEARLY SERVED OUR NATIONAL INTERESTS. 
                          // END ACT //
THE PRESIDENT SAYS HE WILL RAISE PROLIFERATION ISSUES WITH HIS 
CHINESE COUNTERPART, JIANG ZEMIN, IN BEIJING IN TWO WEEKS.  
HUMAN RIGHTS, HE SAYS, WILL ALSO BE A TOPIC ON THE AGENDA.  MR. 
CLINTON ARGUES CHINA'S LEADERS MUST ACCEPT WHAT HE CALLS 
'FREEDOM'S PROGRESS,' BECAUSE -- AS HE PUTS IT -- THAT NATION CAN
ONLY REACH ITS FULL POTENTIAL IF ITS PEOPLE ARE FREE TO REACH 
THEIRS.
TOWARD THAT END, HE OFFERED HIS MOST FORCEFUL APPEAL TO DATE TO 
CHINA'S LEADERSHIP:                                              
         // CLINTON ACTUALITY //          
         DO  NOT  ARREST PEOPLE FOR THEIR POLITICAL BELIEFS; 
         RELEASE THOSE WHO ARE IN JAIL FOR THAT REASON; RENOUNCE 
         COERCIVE POPULATION CONTROL PRACTICES; RESUME YOUR 
         DIALOGUE WITH THE DALAI LAMA; ALLOW PEOPLE TO WORSHIP, 
         WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW THEY CHOOSE; AND RECOGNIZE OUR 
         RELATIONSHIP CANNOT REACH ITS FULL POTENTIAL SO LONG AS 
         CHINESE PEOPLE ARE DENIED FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS.
                          // END ACT //
BUT THE PRESIDENT REJECTED CALLS FROM U-S LAWMAKERS AND HUMAN 
RIGHTS ACTIVISTS TO AVOID WELCOMING CEREMONIES AT TIANANMEN 
SQUARE, SITE OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S BLOODY CRACKDOWN ON 
PRO-DEMOCRACY DEMONSTRATORS IN 1989.  HE ARGUED PROTOCOL SHOULD  
NOT  BE CONFUSED WITH PRINCIPLE.  (SIGNED)
NEB/DAT/TMD/GE
11-Jun-98 1:47 PM EDT (1747 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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