Opening Statement

Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, Ranking Member

Subcommittee on National Security,

Veterans Affairs, and International Relations

Hearing on Biological Weapons Convention Protocol: Status and Implications

 

July 10, 2001

 

 

            GOOD AFTERNOON, AND WELCOME TO OUR DISTINGUISHED WITNESSES.  I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CHAIRMAN FOR HIS PERSISTENCE ON THIS ISSUE AND FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING.  I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK AMBASSADOR LEONARD FOR HIS PRESENCE TODAY, AND CHAIRMAN TOTH AND PROFESSOR PEARSON, FOR THEIR EXTREMELY HELPFUL WRITTEN STATEMENTS.

 

          STEMMING THE PROLIFERATION OF BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS IS CRUCIAL NOT ONLY TO THE PROTECTION OF AMERICAN SERVICE MEMBERS AND CITIZENS, BUT ALSO TO THE WELFARE OF HUMANITY AT LARGE.  WHETHER THE WORLD SUCCEEDS IN THIS QUEST AND WHAT ROLE THE UNITED STATES PLAYS IN THE EFFORT IS INTEGRALLY LINKED TO OUR RELATIONS WITH OTHER NATIONS.

 

          THE PAST FEW MONTHS HAVE BEEN BUMPY IN TERMS OF THE UNITED STATES’ FOREIGN RELATIONS.  IN MARCH, THE U.S. SHOCKED AND DISMAYED ALLIES AND OTHER NATIONS WHEN IT ANNOUNCED IT WOULD ABANDON THE KYOTO PROTOCOL ON GLOBAL WARMING.  UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY‑GENERAL KOFI ANNAN CRITICIZED THE DECISION, SAYING “THE MOVE COULD SEVERELY HARM INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO STOP THE POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS CLIMATE CHANGES BEING CAUSED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY.”

 

          IN EARLY MAY, THE ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED PLANS TO REVERSE ANOTHER COMMITMENT — THE 1972 ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE TREATY.  HERE TOO, INTERNATIONAL REACTIONS WERE DISCONCERTING — THE CHINESE FORECASTED A NEW ROUND OF NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION, THE RUSSIANS ACCUSED THE UNITED STATES OF “SABER-RATTLING,” AND OUR EUROPEAN ALLIES EXPRESSED DEEP CONCERN THAT THEY WERE IGNORED.

 

          NOW, THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION PLANS TO REVERSE COURSE ON YET ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL MILESTONE — THE BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (BWC).  RATHER THAN LEADING THE EFFORT TO CONSTRUCT AN EFFECTIVE PROTOCOL THAT WOULD ESTABLISH STRONG INSPECTION AND OTHER TRANSPARENCY MEASURES FOR PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION, THE ADMINISTRATION APPEARS READY TO CAST ASIDE THESE IMPORTANT NEGOTIATIONS.

 

          THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE DESCRIBES AN INTERNAL ADMINISTRATION REVIEW WHICH FAULTS THE PROTOCOL FOR BEING “INEFFICIENT IN STOPPING CHEATING.”  YET, AS AMBASSADOR MAHLEY EXPLAINED TO THIS SUBCOMMITTEE LAST SEPTEMBER, WE NEED TO PUSH AHEAD WITH NEGOTIATIONS DESPITE A LACK OF AIRTIGHT ASSURANCES.  AMBASSADOR MAHLEY TOLD US THIS:

 

There is real value in increasing the transparency associated with biological activity . . . .  This could, in our view, complicate the efforts of countries to cheat on their BWC obligations . . . .

 

The United States believes investigations are one of the most essential elements of a BWC transparency regime.  Actually talking to scientists and production workers on the ground, as well as observing the atmospherics at a facility, are ways for experienced observers to detect anomalies.  One can never discount either the “whistle­blower” prospect of an employee or the ineptitude of a cover‑up of an illicit activity.  While there is no way to judge the likelihood of such an outcome, the deterrence component is useful since it complicates the life of a potential proliferator.

 

          WHAT I HOPE WE CAN LEARN TODAY IS HOW EXACTLY THE ADMINISTRATION IS GOING ABOUT ITS EVALUATION OF THIS ISSUE. 

 

•        WHAT DOES THE ADMINISTRATION FAVOR IN THE NEW PROTOCOL TEXT PREPARED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NEGOTIATING GROUP?

 

•        WHAT DOES THE ADMINISTRATION OPPOSE? 

•        HOW MUCH OF WHAT THE UNITED STATES OBJECTS TO WAS DUE TO OUR OWN HANDLING OF THE ISSUE? 

 

•        IS IT DISINGENUOUS TO CLAIM THE TREATY IS INEFFECTIVE AFTER WE WEAKENED IT — AT THE BEHEST OF PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES CONCERNED ABOUT THE SECURITY OF COMMERCIAL PROPRIETARY INFORMATION? 

 

•        WHERE DOES THE ADMINISTRATION INTEND TO GO FROM HERE?

 

          IN THE QUEST FOR A WORLD WITHOUT BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS PROLIFERATORS, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PUT OUR HEADS IN THE SAND.  WE MUST USE EVERY TOOL AVAILABLE, INCLUDING INTELLIGENCE, DISEASE SURVEILLANCE, AND FOCUSED COOPERATION WITH OUR ALLIES AND TREATY PARTNERS IN MONITORING INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS.

 

          THE CRITICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS ISSUE REQUIRES THAT THE UNITED STATES STRONGLY LEAD THE WAY RATHER THAN WITHDRAW BASED ON A WORLDVIEW EMPHASIZING  ISOLATIONISM, DIS-ENGAGEMENT, AND SPECIAL INTERESTS.  QUITE LITERALLY, THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY DEPENDS ON IT.

 

          THANK YOU.