DATE=3/20/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-39317
TITLE=NATO EXPANSION DEBATE
BYLINE=DAVID SWAN
DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THE U-S SENATE HAS FINISHED A WEEK OF OFF-AND-ON DEBATE 
ON THE EXPANSION OF NATO, WITHOUT A FIRM INDICATION OF WHEN THE 
FINAL VOTE WILL COME.  DESPITE ITS HISTORIC NATURE, THE MATTER 
HAS  NOT  ATTRACTED MUCH NOTICE FROM THE AMERICAN PUBLIC -- AND 
CRITICS SAY THE SENATE IS  NOT  GIVING IT THE RIGHT TREATMENT 
EITHER.     V-O-A'S DAVID SWAN REPORTS.

TEXT:  SUPPORTERS OF NATO EXPANSION ARE FOND OF POINTING OUT HOW 
CLOSELY THE SENATE HAS EXAMINED THE ISSUE IN RECENT MONTHS.  THE 
RELEVANT COMMITTEES HELD SCORES OF HEARINGS ON WHETHER THE 
ALLIANCE SHOULD STRETCH ITS BOUNDARIES EASTWARD TO COVER THE 
CZECH REPUBLIC, POLAND AND HUNGARY.

BUT SUPPORTERS AND OPPONENTS ALIKE ARE CRITICIZING THE WAY THE 
TREATY FINALLY REACHED THE SENATE FLOOR.  DEMOCRAT PAUL 
WELLSTONE, WHO IS AGAINST THE PROPOSAL, IS AMONG THEM.

                       // WELLSTONE ACT //

         BUT THE WAY WE'RE DOING THIS IS WE'RE DOING IT IN BITS 
         AND PIECES.  I MEAN, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE 
         EDUCATION BILL AND WE'VE JUST COME BACK TO NATO AS 
         FILLER!  UNTIL WE GET BACK TO THE EDUCATION BILL. 

                         // END ACT // 

AS MR. WELLSTONE SAYS, THE NATO DEBATE BEGAN, SOMEWHAT ABRUPTLY, 
WHEN THE SENATE WAS BOGGED DOWN IN A CONTROVERSIAL REPUBLICAN 
EDUCATION BILL.  FOR MOST OF THE WEEK THE DISCUSSION SEESAWED 
BACK AND FORTH FROM NATO TO EDUCATION -- WITH OCCASIONAL BREAKS 
FOR SPEECHES ON OTHER SUBJECTS LIKE TAXES AND EVEN BASKETBALL. 

THIS BROUGHT COMPLAINTS THAT REPUBLICANS WERE USING NATO TO AVOID
DEALING WITH EDUCATION -- AND GIVING CASUAL, OFFHAND TREATMENT TO
A MAJOR FOREIGN POLICY QUESTION.  MAJORITY LEADER TRENT LOTT 
EVENTUALLY ALLOCATED MORE TIME FOR THE NATO PROPOSAL, AND DENIED 
ANY NEGLECT. 

                         // LOTT ACT // 

         THE DUAL TRACK OF BOTH THE EDUCATION ISSUE AND NATO 
         ENLARGEMENT IS NOT INTENDED AT ALL TO DIMINISH EITHER.  
         IN FACT, IT'S INTENDED TO RAISE UP BOTH OF THEM IN THE 
         AWARENESS AND CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. 

                         // END ACT // 

SO FAR, MUCH OF THE TALK ABOUT NATO SEEMS ALMOST PERFUNCTORY AND 
LESS INTENSE THAN OTHER RECENT DEBATES ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS.  BUT 
THAT SITUATION CHANGED (THURSDAY) WHEN OPPONENTS OF EXPANSION 
ARGUED THE MOVE WOULD CREATE WHAT THEY CALLED AN IRON RING AROUND
RUSSIA.  REPUBLICAN SENATOR JOHN WARNER SUGGESTED IT COULD ALSO 
PULL U-S TROOPS INTO FUTILE, UNPOPULAR CONFLICTS LIKE THE ONE IN 
SOMALIA. 

                        // WARNER ACT // 

         I FOREWARN THAT IN THIS EXPANSION, OUR TROOPS COMMITTED 
         TO NATO SOME DAY COULD BE INVOLVED IN MISSIONS WHICH IN 
         MY JUDGEMENT, WOULD BE VERY VERY HARD TO SAY THEY'RE IN 
         THE VITAL SECURITY INTERESTS OF THIS COUNTRY. 

                         // END ACT // 

THAT SET OFF A FURIOUS REBUTTAL FROM DEMOCRAT JOSEPH BIDEN, ONE 
OF THE STRONGEST SUPPORTERS OF EXPANSION.  PACING THE SENATE 
FLOOR, HIS ARMS FLAILING, MR. BIDEN ANGRILY REJECTED THE CHARGES.

                        // BIDEN ACT // 

         AND THE COMPARISON IS MADE BETWEEN POLAND AND SOMALIA --
         WE HAD NO STAYING POWER IN VIETNAM OR SOMALIA.  I WOULD 
         RESPECTFULLY SUGGEST VIETNAM AND SOMALIA ARE NOT CENTRAL
         EUROPE!  THEY ARE NOT POLAND!  THEY ARE NOT HUNGARY! 

                         // END ACT // 

WHILE SENATORS LIKE MR. BIDEN HAVE BACKED THE PLAN ALL ALONG, THE
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION LOBBIED AGGRESSIVELY TO WIN OVER HIS 
COLLEAGUES.  OFFICIALS WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE INFLUENTIAL 
FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, JESSE HELMS, AND OTHERS.  
THE WHITE HOUSE AND STATE DEPARTMENT ALSO LINED UP SUPPORT FROM 
SCORES OF EXPERTS, RETIRED GENERALS AND CITIZENS GROUPS. 

 // BEGIN OPTIONAL // THE PROCESS OF SELLING CONGRESS ON NATO HAS
CHANGED DRAMATICALLY SINCE THE ORIGINAL NATO TREATY WENT BEFORE 
THE SENATE IN 1949.  JOURNALIST EVAN THOMAS, WHO HAS WRITTEN 
ABOUT THE PERIOD, SAYS THE KEY TO RATIFICATION WAS THEN-FOREIGN 
RELATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN ARTHUR VANDENBURG. 

                   // OPTIONAL THOMAS ACT // 

         EVERY DAY BOB LOVETT, WHO WAS THEN THE NUMBER TWO GUY AT
         THE STATE DEPARTMENT, WOULD GO TO VANDENBURG'S 
         APARTMENT.  THEY'D HAVE MARTINIS, LOVETT WOULD SHOW HIM 
         TOP-SECRET CABLES ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN EUROPE AND 
         THEY REELED VANDENBURG RIGHT IN. 

                 // END ACT  -- END OPTIONAL // 

HOWEVER, PRESIDENT CLINTON'S HOPES FOR AN EARLY VOTE MAY BE IN 
VAIN.  MAJORITY LEADER LOTT NOW SAYS NATO EXPANSION WILL BE SET 
ASIDE ON MONDAY, TO LET THE SENATE FINISH THE EDUCATION BILL AND 
AN EMERGENCY BUDGET PACKAGE.  HE SUGGESTS THE RATIFICATION VOTE 
MAY YET COME NEXT WEEK, OR PERHAPS NOT UNTIL NEXT MONTH. (SIGNED)

NEB/DS/KL

20-Mar-98 2:42 PM EST (1942 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.