NEWS AND VIEWS
Summaries of and links to online news reports and commentaries.
The NPT PrepCom: Documentation On-Line
As part of it's Nuclear Futures project, the British American Secuirty
Information Council (BASIC) will be putting documents from the nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Preparatory Committee meeting (PrepCom) on the
BASIC website. The documents will include official speeches and draft texts,
as well as analysis and updates of the meeting.
Documents will be found at:
http://www.igc.apc.org/basic/
For those without web access, documentation will also apprear on:
gopher://gopher.igc.apc.org:70/11/orgs/basic
In so far as possible, speeches will appear on the day they are delivered.
Beijing creates military monster
By Bill Gertz THE WASHINGTON TIMES 10 April 1997 page 1
http://www.fas.org/irp/imint/kh12_2.htm
"A satellite photograph taken last year over central China shows one
of five Chinese B-6D bombers that were converted into air-refueling
tankers. The Defense Intelligence Agency says the tankers allow
Beijing's planes to reach well into the South China Sea."
Gingrich defends statement on Taiwan
news:Rchina-usa-gingrichURQzK_7A9@clari.net
Wed, 9 Apr 1997 11:01:56 PDT
"WASHINGTON (Reuter) - House Speaker Newt Gingrich Wednesday
defended his warning to Chinese leaders that the United States
would defend Taiwan if it was attacked, saying it was important
to avoid ambiguity. Gingrich, at a news conference with members of a
congressional delegation he led to Asia, said: ``As a historian,
my greatest fear when you deal with a dictatorship is that
ambiguity leads to a wrong understanding.''"
Taiwan to develop anti-missile missile
news:Rtaiwan-china-defenceURsLH_7AA@clari.net
Thu, 10 Apr 1997 3:56:38 PDT
"TAIPEI, April 10 (Reuter) - Taiwan will develop an anti-
missile missile to bolster its defences against rival China, a
newspaper run by the ruling Nationalist Party said on Thursday.
Preparatory work on the Sky Bow III system has begun at the
military's Chung Shan Institution of Science and Technology...
The institute will also begin mass production soon of the
home-grown Sky Bow II following successful tests of the ground-
to-air missile at a military base at southern Pingtung..."
China seen putting economy ahead of military might
news:Rchina-usa-reportURPlH_7A9@clari.net
Wed, 9 Apr 1997 16:12:14 PDT
"WASHINGTON (Reuter) - China is expected to continue to
emphasize economic growth and modernization rather than military
might as a foundation for national greatness, a Defense Department
report said Wednesday. Beijing's nuclear strategy probably would
continue to emphasize development of nuclear retaliation ability to deter
potential use of nuclear weapons by present nuclear states, the
report said. Releasing the report, Rep. Floyd Spence, chairman of the
House National Security Committee, said it showed the Chinese
saw a need to create forces to offset U.S. military advantages."
House Panel Upset by New Delay in Russian Space Module
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/national/sci-space-station.html
By WILLIAM J. BROAD The New York Times 10 April 1997
"Trafton said that NASA planned to give Moscow until May
to see if it could speed up work on its tardy component,
known as the Service Module. If that failed, he said, NASA
would switch to an emergency substitute known as the
Interim Control Module, which is being made by the Naval
Research Laboratory.... "With the delay, you've basically opened
up another year of opportunity for something to come unglued,"
said John Pike, head of space policy at the Federation of American
Scientists, a private group in Washington."
Space Station Launch Held Up 11 Months
http://www.latimes.com/HOME/NEWS/NATION/t000032167.html
RALPH VARTABEDIAN, Los Angeles Times 10 April 1997;
"WASHINGTON--The nation's space agency will delay by 11
months the first mission to construct the international space station
and will shift $300 million from other programs to meet anticipated
cost increases, NASA announced Wednesday.... John Pike, a space
expert with the Federation of American Scientists, said that the space
station program has become two houses of cards, politically and
technically, because of the Russian delays. "It is getting to the point
where one house of cards will knock over the other. The only
question is which one will go first," Pike said."
Russian envoy blasts Cohen on missiles
newsUcohen-korea-russiaURs5A_7AA.RL1A_7AA@clari.net
Thu, 10 Apr 1997 3:56:21 PDT United Press International
"SEOUL, April 10 (UPI) -- Russia's envoy to South Korea says (Thursday)
U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen has been ``pardonless'' in
pushing Seoul to buy U.S. instead of Russian missiles. Ambassador
George Kunadze has told Russian ITAR-TASS news agency,
``I hope our Korean friends will excuse the defense secretary
for what is in my view a pardonless attempt to sell, to thrust on South
Korea, its missile.''"
N.Korea agrees to missile talks
news:Unorkor-usUR0eb_7A8@clari.net
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 1997 14:01:29 PDT
"WASHINGTON, April 8 (UPI) -- In another sign North Korea is on the
verge of agreeing to a proposal for direct peace negotiations with South
Korea, the Clinton administration says Pyongyang will resume long-
suspended talks on limiting ballistic missile sales."
Nuclear experts arrive in North Korea
news:Rnuclear-korea-northURyF-_7A9@clari.net
Wed, 9 Apr 1997 6:33:31 PDT
"TOKYO, April 9 (Reuter) - A team of nuclear experts arrived
in North Korea by ship on Wednesday for talks on providing the
communist state with nuclear reactors... The experts are from the
Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organisation (KEDO), a
consortium led by the United States, South Korea and Japan that was
formed to provide Pyongyang with two modern nuclear reactors
under a 1994 U.S.-brokered nuclear deal."
Rush Toward Reunification
http://wp2.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-04/10/022L-041097-idx.html
By Jim Hoagland; page A25 Washington Post 10 April 1997;
"As many as 100,000 North Koreans may die from starvation and
related diseases in the next four months, according to classified
U.S. intelligence estimates that have provoked a heated debate
inside the Clinton administration."
N.Korea says on ``brink of war'' it does not want
news:Rkorea-north-defenceURmEn_7A9@clari.net
Wed, 9 Apr 1997 7:21:41 PDT
"TOKYO, April 9 (Reuter) - A top North Korean army official
said on Wednesday that the communist state was ``on the brink of
war'' and urged the nation to strengthen its defence capability....
Analysts in Seoul and Tokyo said North Korea has issued
similar warnings in the past and military officials in Seoul
said there have been no extraordinary military movements on
either side."
CIA Knew In '84 of Iraq Poison Gas
http://wp2.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-04/10/133L-041097-idx.html
Bill McAllister and Dana Priest Washington Post 10 April 1997; page A01
"The CIA revealed yesterday it had received numerous warnings
starting in 1984 that chemical weapons were stored in a remote
Iraqi ammunition depot that U.S. troops blew up shortly after the
Persian Gulf War, but said it had failed to adequately alert the
military to the danger."
C.I.A. Says It Failed to Give Data on Iraqi Arms
http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/0410cia-gulfwar.html
By PHILIP SHENON The New York Times 10 April 1997
"LANGLEY, Va. -- The CIA said on Wednesday that
its own errors may have led to the demolition of an
Iraqi ammunition bunker filled with chemical weapons after
the 1991 Persian Gulf war -- an event that may have
exposed tens of thousands of U.S. troops to nerve gas."
Clinton meets senators on chemical weapons treaty
news:Rarms-chemicalURz2t_7A9@clari.net
Wed, 9 Apr 1997 20:51:14 PDT
"WASHINGTON (Reuter) - President Clinton met eight senators
at the White House Wednesday in an effort to to win Senate
ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention."
TEXT: ACDA DIRECTOR HOLUM 4/7
REMARKS TO ATLANTIC COUNCIL ON CWC
http://www.fas.org/spp/starwars/offdocs/clinton7/970407acda.htm
Washington -- Noting that the U.S. Senate's decision soon on
ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) "will
profoundly affect America's security and global standing," John
Holum, director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament
Agency (ACDA) says that even though Cold War disciplines are
gone, "chemical weapon and similar threats are growing."
Poisoning the Atmosphere
http://wp2.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-04/10/155L-041097-idx.html
Mary McGrory; page A02 Washington Post 10 April 1997;
"A more ambitious arms control group has launched a
more daring arms control initiative. Abolition 2000
had a meeting at the National Press Club to introduce
the idea of eliminating all nuclear weapons by the
millennium. Their biggest weapon: a poll by Celinda
Lake, which shows that the same number of
Americans who want the chemical weapons
convention approved also favor the elimination of all
nuclear weapons. Eighty-four percent, regardless of
age, sex, race or party, said they would feel "safer" if
all nations, including the United States, destroy their
stockpiles."
* RUSSIA * FOREIGN MINISTRY * CONVENTION * CHEMICAL
WEAPONS * RUSSIA DETERMINED TO CONTINUE ACTIVELY
PARTICIPATE IN FORMING EFFECTIVE AND UNIVERSAL
ORGANISATION TO BAN CHEMICAL WEAPONS THE HAGUE,
APRIL 10 (RIA
http://www.russia.net/ria/hotline/ho10048.htm
RUSSIA * JAPAN * PLUTONIUM * CONTAINERS RUSSIA PLANS
TO PROCURE CONTAINERS FOR WEAPONS GRADE
PLUTONIUM IN JAPAN TOKYO, APRIL 9 (RIA NOVOSTI
CORRESPONDENTS ANDREI ILYASHENKO)-
http://www.russia.net/ria/hotline/hj09048.htm
Ex-CIA chief says U.S. too slow cutting warheads
news:Rnuclear-turner-unURODz_7A9@clari.net
Wed, 9 Apr 1997 16:01:44 PDT
"UNITED NATIONS (Reuter) - Former CIA chief Adm. Stansfield
Turner Wednesday said the United States and Russia had far more
nuclear warheads than they could possibly use and arms control
was in trouble."
Australia's Butler criticizes nuclear powers
news:Rnuclear-unURzIR_7A9@clari.net
Wed, 9 Apr 1997 16:01:43 PDT (Reuter / Evelyn Leopold)
UNITED NATIONS (Reuter) - Australia's U.N. ambassador
Richard Butler, a leading proponent of disarmament, Wednesday
criticized a joint statement by the five nuclear powers as nearly
empty of content. ``There are no specific proposals for further nuclear
disarmament,'' he told a news conference. ``Why don't they step
forward and say 'we will take immediate steps to reduce the
danger.'''"
AMB. MORNINGSTAR 4/9 TESTIMONY ON AID TO NIS
http://www.fas.org/spp/starwars/congress/1997_h/h970409m.htm
Ambassador Richard L. Morningstar, special advisor to
the president and the secretary of state on assistance to the New
Independent States of the former Soviet Union, testified before the
House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Foreign Operations
about the administration's plans for assistance to the New Independent
States of the former Soviet Union, and, he said, "most importantly
about one of the President's top priorities in the foreign affairs
budget, the Partnership for Freedom."
DINE TESTIMONY ON AID REQUEST FOR NIS, CENTRAL EUROPE
http://www.fas.org/spp/starwars/congress/1997_h/h970409d.htm
Thomas Dine, assistant administrator of the U.S. Agency
for International Development (USAID) for Europe and the New
Independent States (NIS), told a congressional panel that the proposed
Partnership for Freedom initiative is intended to be the framework for
"a new phase of U.S. engagement, focused on trade and investment and
building enduring ties between NIS citizens and ours."
EAST EUROPEAN ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR HOLMES TESTIFIES
http://www.fas.org/spp/starwars/congress/1997_h/h970409h.htm
Coordinator for East European Assistance James Holmes reported
April 9 that "the SEED program is on target, on budget, and on schedule."
Speaking before the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on
Foreign Operations, Holmes said that "Estonia 'graduated' from the
SEED program in September 1996. Two more countries -- Slovenia and the
Czech Republic -- will join Estonia in FY 1997 in moving their
relationship with the United States beyond that of assistance
recipient to full partnership in the world community."
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