DATE=4/24/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-40152
TITLE=NATO DEBATE: PREVIEW
BYLINE=DAVID SWAN
DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO: NEXT WEEK, THE U-S SENATE SHOULD FINISH DEBATING AND VOTE 
ON THE EASTWARD EXPANSION OF NATO, TO BRING IN POLAND, THE CZECH 
REPUBLIC AND HUNGARY.  THE IDEA HAS SUPPORT, AND OPPOSITION, FROM
MEMBERS OF BOTH PARTIES.  V-O-A'S DAVID SWAN REPORTS ON WHAT IS 
LIKELY TO BE AN INTENSE FEW DAYS OF DEBATE.

TEXT:  THE SENATE TOOK UP THE ISSUE WEEKS AGO BUT WAS SIDETRACKED
-- FIRST BY DISPUTES OVER ANOTHER, UNRELATED BILL, THEN BY A 
HOLIDAY RECESS. THE LAWMAKERS WERE CRITICIZED FOR HOLDING A 
FITFUL, OFF-AND-ON DEBATE ON SUCH A HISTORIC ISSUE.  THIS TIME, 
REPUBLICAN LEADER TRENT LOTT HAS PROMISED AN ORDERLY PROCESS.

                          // LOTT ACT //

         PERHAPS AS MANY AS TWO OR THREE DAYS WHERE NOTHING ELSE 
         IS DONE BUT NATO ENLARGEMENT.  BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT ANY
         DISTRACTIONS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE DEBATED 
         ALL THE ISSUES AND EVERY SENATOR HAS BEEN ABLE TO MAKE 
         HIS OR HER CASE FOR OR AGAINST NATO ENLARGEMENT.

                          // END ACT //

WHILE THE CASE FOR ENLARGEMENT IS WIDELY EXPECTED TO PREVAIL, THE
OTHER SIDE IS NOT CONCEDING DEFEAT. THE OPPONENTS HAVE FORMED A 
COALITION AND LAUNCHED A LAST-DITCH EFFORT TO DERAIL EXPANSION.  
THE GROUP IS MADE UP LARGELY OF SENATORS, RETIRED DIPLOMATS AND 
FOREIGN POLICY EXPERTS. BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES BUSINESS EXECUTIVES 
AND ACTIVISTS FROM BOTH ENDS OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, INCLUDING
LONGTIME CONSERVATIVE LEADER PHYLLIS SCHLAFLY.

                       // SCHLAFLY ACT //

         I HOPE THAT SENATORS AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL LOOK 
         AT THE MAP OF THE NEW BORDERS THAT WE'RE BEING CALLED 
         UPON TO DEFEND. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
         WANT TO SEND THEIR SONS AND GRANDSONS AND DAUGHTERS OUT 
         TO DEFEND ALL OF THESE LONG, NEW BORDERS THAT HAVE NEVER
         BEEN OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DEFEND.

                          // END ACT //

IN TELEVISION COMMERCIALS AND FULL-PAGE NEWSPAPER ADS, THE 
COALITION WARNS AMERICANS THAT EXPANDING NATO WILL DO LITTLE 
EXCEPT SCARE THE RUSSIANS. DEMOCRATIC SENATOR PAUL WELLSTONE 
SUGGESTS THE ISSUE IS ALREADY JEOPARDIZING THE START-TWO NUCLEAR 
ARMS REDUCTION TREATY.

                      // WELLSTONE ACT // 

         I THINK IT NEEDLESSLY RISKS POISONING RELATIONS WITH 
         RUSSIA. IT'S ALREADY HURTING OUR TIES WITH RUSSIA AND 
         ALL YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IS THE STALLING OF THE START-TWO
         AGREEMENT IN THE DUMA (RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT).

                          // END ACT //

OPPONENTS ALSO QUESTION THE COST OF THE PROCESS, WHICH THE WHITE 
HOUSE SAYS WILL BE ABOUT 400-MILLION DOLLARS AND CRITICS CHARGE 
WILL BE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS HIGHER.

THE ANTI-EXPANSION FORCES SAY THEY ARE GAINING MOMENTUM BUT 
PRIVATELY ACKNOWLEDGE THEY ARE STILL WELL SHORT OF THE 34 VOTES 
THEY NEED TO BLOCK RATIFICATION. MEANWHILE, THE LEADERS OF BOTH 
PARTIES ARE SUPPORTING THE ENLARGEMENT TREATY, INCLUDING 
REPUBLICAN SENATOR LOTT, WHO HAS BACKED THE IDEA SINCE LAST YEAR.

                          // LOTT ACT //

         I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.  I THINK IT IS 
         ENLARGING THE RING OF FREEDOM IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD.
         IT'S THE NATURAL EXTENSION OF THE VICTORY IN THE COLD 
         WAR THAT WE HAD.  SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.

                          // END ACT //

THE FOES OF THE TREATY WILL TRY TO AMEND IT ON THE SENATE FLOOR 
NEXT WEEK.  THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL PROPOSAL WOULD PLACE A 
THREE-YEAR MORATORIUM ON ANY NEXT ROUND OF EXPANSION. ITS 
SPONSORS SAY THE ALLIANCE SHOULD TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THE FIRST 
PHASE OF ENLARGEMENT BEFORE STARTING A SECOND.  THE AMENDMENT'S 
OPPONENTS SAY NATO SHOULD KEEP ITS DOORS OPEN - AND THERE WILL 
PROBABLY BE A DE FACTO PAUSE IN EXPANSION ANYWAY.

EVEN SOME SUPPORTERS OF ENLARGEMENT ARE INCLINED TO MOVE 
CAUTIOUSLY ON ITS NEXT PHASE.  REPUBLICAN SENATOR SAM BROWNBACK 
SAYS IT IS TOO SOON TO THINK ABOUT ADMITTING SOME OF THE FORMER 
SOVIET REPUBLICS.

                       // BROWNBACK ACT //

         WELL, I'M NOT NEAR TO THE POINT OF SAYING WE SHOULD PUT 
         FORWARD A SECURITY UMBRELLA IN CENTRAL ASIA OR THE 
         CAUCASUS.  THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, FOR CONSIDERATION 
         WAY DOWN THE ROAD.

                          // END ACT //

THOUGH THE SENATE IS SOMETIMES UNPREDICTABLE, IT IS EXPECTED TO 
ENDORSE THE EXPANSION PLAN.  SENATE LEADERS HOPE TO FINISH ALL 
DEBATE AND VOTE ON THE TREATY WEDNESDAY. (SIGNED)

NEB/DS/KL

24-Apr-98 12:36 PM EDT (1636 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.