DATE=3/26/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247230
TITLE=CHINA / DISARMAMENT (L ONLY)
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: CHINA'S PRESIDENT, JIANG ZEMIN, HAS CALLED FOR AN END TO
NATO AIRSTRIKES OVER YUGOSLAVIA, SAYING THEY ARE ILLEGAL. LISA
SCHLEIN REPORTS THE CHINESE PRESIDENT ALSO APPEALED FOR A HALT TO
THE NUCLEAR ARMS RACE IN A SPEECH TO THE UNITED NATIONS
CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT IN GENEVA.
TEXT: CHINA'S PRESIDENT, JIANG ZEMIN, CALLED FOR AN IMMEDIATE
HALT TO NATO AIRSTRIKES AGAINST YUGOSLAV MILITARY TARGETS.
SPEAKING THROUGH AN INTERPRETER, HE TOLD THE DISARMAMENT
CONFERENCE IT IS IMPORTANT TO BRING THE KOSOVO ISSUE BACK TO THE
NEGOTIATING TABLE WHERE A POLITICAL SETTLEMENT COULD BE WORKED
OUT.
/// JIANG ACT ONE ///
I HEREBY SOLEMNLY REITERATE THAT THE MILITARY ACTIONS
AGAINST KOSOVO AND OTHER PARTS OF YUGOSLAVIA VIOLATE THE
NORMS GOVERNING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND ARE
DETRIMENTAL TO THE PEACE OF THE BALKAN REGION.
/// END ACT ///
MR. JIANG APPEALED TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO MAKE ALL
EFFORTS TO DEFUSE THE CRISIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THE CHINESE LEADER ALSO CALLED ON THE 61-MEMBER U-N DISARMAMENT
COMMISSION TO NEGOTIATE A TREATY TO CUT OFF THE PRODUCTION OF
NUCLEAR BOMB-MAKING URANIUM AND PLUTONIUM. HE SAID THE
CONFERENCE SHOULD START IMMEDIATE WORK ON AN AGREEMENT TO BAN
NUCLEAR WEAPONS. HE SAID EVERYONE SHOULD STRIVE FOR A NUCLEAR
WEAPONS-FREE WORLD.
CHINA'S PRESIDENT ROUNDLY CRITICIZED RESEARCH INTO SOPHISTICATED
ANTI-MISSILE SYSTEMS. HE SAID THAT A WITHDRAWAL FROM EXISTING
DISARMAMENT TREATIES WHICH PROHIBIT THE DEVELOPMENT OF
ANTI-MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEMS WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY.
/// JIANG ACT TWO ///
AND TRIGGER OFF A NEW ROUND OF ARMS RACE IN NEW AREAS,
THEREBY SERIOUSLY OBSTRUCTING OR NEUTRALIZING
INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS OF NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT AND NUCLEAR
NON-PROLIFERATION.
/// END ACT ///
DIPLOMATS HERE SAID THAT PRESIDENT JIANG'S REMARKS CONTAINED A
VEILED REFERENCE TO A PROPOSED U-S MISSILE DEFENSE SHIELD. CHINA
IS OPPOSED TO THIS AND HAS REPEATEDLY SAID THE UNITED STATES PLAN
TO BUILD AN ANTI-MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM COULD LEAD TO AN ARMS
RACE IN OUTER SPACE. (SIGNED)
NEB/LS/JWH
26-Mar-99 12:56 PM EST (1756 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
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