Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=3-29-2001

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-274311

TITLE=BUSH-RUSSIA ARMS (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST

DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: President Bush says his administration is reviewing U-S programs aimed at helping Russia to dismantle Soviet-era nuclear weapons and safeguard nuclear material and expertise. Some Bush aides have been critical of the programs, though the President - who addressed the issue at his Thursday news conference - did not indicate if funding will be cut. VOA's David Gollust reports from the White House.

TEXT: The United States is spending nearly 800-million-dollars a year on nuclear aid programs for Russia that are championed by arms control advocates, but criticized as wasteful by many conservative Republican allies of the President in Congress.

The best-known of them is the Pentagon's Cooperative Threat-Reduction or Nunn-Lugar program named for former Senators Sam Nunn and Richard Lugar. That program has assisted Moscow in dismantling Soviet-era nuclear warheads, missiles and submarine for the past decade.

But there are others, including an Energy Department program that helps Russia dispose of weapons grade plutonium, and efforts to prevent Russian nuclear material and expertise from being diverted to rogue-states or terrorist groups.

News reports in recent weeks have suggested that the programs collectively are headed for deep cuts next year under an administration budget outline due to go to Congress as early as next month. However, at his news conference Thursday, President Bush made no mention of pending cuts saying only that the programs are under administration review for cost-effectiveness:

///BUSH ACTUALITY///

We want to make sure that any money being spent, is being spend in an effective way. We have the obligation to the taxpayers to make sure that the money, for example going to the Russian program part of Nunn-Lugar is effective, and so we are putting a full review on the programs. We fully intend to continue to cooperate with the Russians. It's in our nation's best interests to work with Russia to dismantle its nuclear arsenal. I was pleased to see that Senator Nunn, one of the authors of the Nunn-Lugar bill agreed with our approach, to take a look, to make sure the programs are efficient.

///END ACT///

Former Senator Nunn an influential Democrat on defense matters said Wednesday a comprehensive review of the programs is appropriate, though he also said he hopes the review results in a higher-priority for them in the new administration.

Also Wednesday, former Republican Senator Howard Baker Mr. Bush's nominee to be ambassador to Japan recommended more spending for threat-reduction efforts.

But a bipartisan group of 29 House members sent Mr. Bush a letter earlier this month urging a halt to the programs because of Russian sales of weapons and nuclear power plants to Iran.

The New York Times Thursday quoted administration officials as giving the programs a mixed review hailing the effectiveness of the weapons-dismantling, but questioning the wisdom of buying Russian plutonium, and of efforts to find alternate jobs for displaced Russian weapons scientists.

An official quoted by the Times said the review is unrelated to recent U-S-Russian disputes over spying and missile defense, and said its aim is not to punish Moscow but to make the programs more transparent and effective. (Signed)

NEB/DAG/KBK