ACCESSION NUMBER:305744
FILE ID:TXT501
DATE:10/01/93
TITLE:CLINTON AT THE UNITED NATIONS: PROLIFERATION (10/01/93)
TEXT:*93100101.TXT
CLINTON AT THE UNITED NATIONS: PROLIFERATION
(VOA Editorial) (400)
(Following is an editorial, broadcast by the Voice of America October 1,
reflecting the views of the U.S. government.)
In a speech to the U.N. General Assembly this week, President Bill Clinton
spoke optimistically of the movement toward freedom and democracy around
the world. But he also warned of the danger posed by the spread of
nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, as well as the missiles that can
deliver them. As he said, "no democracy can feel secure" if the
1roliferation of the world's deadliest weapons is not stopped.
Non-proliferation is one of the highest priorities of the United States. It
will affect U.S. relationships with all other nations and international
institutions. The United States will pursue new steps to control the
materials used in nuclear weapons and will press for an international
agreement that would ban forever the production of these materials outside
of international safeguards.
In addition to reducing its nuclear stockpiles, the United States is
prepared to begin negotiations toward a comprehensive ban on nuclear
weapons testing. In July, President Clinton declared that the United
States would extend its testing moratorium through at least September 1994,
provided that all other states with nuclear weapons do not test. "Today in
the face of disturbing signs," he said, "I renew my call on the nuclear
states to abide by that moratorium as we negotiate to stop nuclear testing
for all time."
The United States is also proposing new efforts to fight the spread of other
weapons of mass destruction. President Clinton called on all nations to
ratify the Chemical Weapons Convention quickly so that it can enter into
force by January 1995. The United States will seek to strengthen the
Biological Weapons Convention by making every nation's activities and
facilities open to more international scrutiny. In regard to ballistic
missiles, Clinton said the United States "will seek to strengthen the
principles of the Missile Technology Control Regime by transforming it from
an agreement on technology transfer among just 23 nations to a set of rules
that can command universal adherence."
As President Clinton said, weapons of mass destruction can "destabilize
entire regions. They could turn a local conflict into a global human and
environmental catastrophe. We simply have got to find ways to control
these weapons and to reduce the number of states that possess them."
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