DATE:06/23/93
TITLE:CHRISTOPHER: COLLECTIVE CONTAINMENT OF IRAN (06/23/93)
TEXT:*93062301.TXT
CHRISTOPHER: COLLECTIVE CONTAINMENT OF IRAN
(VOA Editorial) (520)
(Following is an editorial, broadcast by the Voice of America June 23,
1eflecting the views of the U.S. government.)
More than any other event of recent years, the Persian Gulf war made
clear to the world the danger posed by the spread of nuclear, chemical and
biological weapons, as well as the ballistic missiles that can deliver
them. In that war, Iraq launched missiles against both Saudi Arabia and
Israel -- a noncombatant. Iraq's previous threats to use chemical weapons
made these missile attacks all the more terrifying.
Following Iraq's defeat in the Persian Gulf war, the U.N. Security Council
created a special commission to verify Iraq's obligation to eliminate its
weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles. Thanks to this
effort, the Iraqi threat is diminished -- though not completely gone. But
there are other countries that are contributing to tensions in the Middle
East. Perhaps the most dangerous is Iran. As U.S. officials have pointed
out, Iran is the foremost state sponsor of terrorism in the world. Iran is
also seeking to subvert Arab governments in the region and is trying to
block efforts to promote peace between Israel, Arab states and
Palestinians.
The United States is deeply concerned about Iran's massive military buildup
and its efforts to obtain chemical and biological weapons. Iran has used
chemical weapons and has the capacity to manufacture hundreds of tons of
chemical agents a year. Iran is working to produce biological weapons. In
the past, Iran has purchased ballistic missiles from North Korea, and the
United States is concerned about the possibility of further Iranian missile
purchases. This month, there were reports that North Korea tested a
missile with a range of 1,000 kilometers. If that figure is correct, then
parts of Israel, as well as several other countries, would be within range
of this missile if it were obtained by Iran.
In a recent meeting with European Community foreign ministers, U.S.
Secretary of State Warren Christopher urged collective action to deal with
the spread of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction. He said
that restrictions should be placed on transfers of sophisticated
conventional arms and on "dual-use" technologies that have both military
and civilian applications. Christopher said that while Iran is especially
"worrisome," it is also a country that may be influenced by collective
action. "Iran's economy is in trouble," said Christopher. "Iran will be
vulnerable to concerted pressure from the West if it is clear that we seek
strictly defined changes in its behavior. At some cost to the United
States, we have moved to forgo sales of certain dual-use goods, and we have
moved to control exports of certain strategic goods and technologies."
As Secretary of State Christopher said, "Iran must be persuaded to abandon
its nuclear, chemical-biological and missile programs.... Iran must
understand that it cannot have normal commercial relations and acquire
dual-use technologies on the one hand, while trying to develop weapons of
mass destruction on the other."
NNNN
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