DATE=3/26/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247230
TITLE=CHINA / DISARMAMENT (L ONLY)
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  CHINA'S PRESIDENT, JIANG ZEMIN, HAS CALLED FOR AN END TO 
NATO AIRSTRIKES OVER YUGOSLAVIA, SAYING THEY ARE ILLEGAL.  LISA 
SCHLEIN REPORTS THE CHINESE PRESIDENT ALSO APPEALED FOR A HALT TO
THE NUCLEAR ARMS RACE IN A SPEECH TO THE UNITED NATIONS 
CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT IN GENEVA.

TEXT:  CHINA'S PRESIDENT, JIANG ZEMIN, CALLED FOR AN IMMEDIATE 
HALT TO NATO AIRSTRIKES AGAINST YUGOSLAV MILITARY TARGETS.  
SPEAKING THROUGH AN INTERPRETER, HE TOLD THE DISARMAMENT 
CONFERENCE IT IS IMPORTANT TO BRING THE KOSOVO ISSUE BACK TO THE 
NEGOTIATING TABLE WHERE A POLITICAL SETTLEMENT COULD BE WORKED 
OUT.

                     ///  JIANG ACT ONE  ///

         I HEREBY SOLEMNLY REITERATE THAT THE MILITARY ACTIONS 
         AGAINST KOSOVO AND OTHER PARTS OF YUGOSLAVIA VIOLATE THE
         NORMS GOVERNING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND ARE 
         DETRIMENTAL TO THE PEACE OF THE BALKAN REGION. 

                        ///  END ACT  ///

MR. JIANG APPEALED TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO MAKE ALL 
EFFORTS TO DEFUSE THE CRISIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 

THE CHINESE LEADER ALSO CALLED ON THE 61-MEMBER U-N DISARMAMENT 
COMMISSION TO NEGOTIATE A TREATY TO CUT OFF THE PRODUCTION OF 
NUCLEAR BOMB-MAKING URANIUM AND PLUTONIUM.  HE SAID THE 
CONFERENCE SHOULD START IMMEDIATE WORK ON AN AGREEMENT TO BAN 
NUCLEAR WEAPONS.  HE SAID EVERYONE SHOULD STRIVE FOR A NUCLEAR 
WEAPONS-FREE WORLD.  

CHINA'S PRESIDENT ROUNDLY CRITICIZED RESEARCH INTO SOPHISTICATED 
ANTI-MISSILE SYSTEMS.  HE SAID THAT A WITHDRAWAL FROM EXISTING 
DISARMAMENT TREATIES WHICH PROHIBIT THE DEVELOPMENT OF 
ANTI-MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEMS WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON 
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY.

                     ///  JIANG ACT TWO  ///

         AND TRIGGER OFF A NEW ROUND OF ARMS RACE IN NEW AREAS, 
         THEREBY SERIOUSLY OBSTRUCTING OR NEUTRALIZING 
         INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS OF NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT AND NUCLEAR
         NON-PROLIFERATION.

                        ///  END ACT  ///

DIPLOMATS HERE SAID THAT PRESIDENT JIANG'S REMARKS CONTAINED A 
VEILED REFERENCE TO A PROPOSED U-S MISSILE DEFENSE SHIELD.  CHINA
IS OPPOSED TO THIS AND HAS REPEATEDLY SAID THE UNITED STATES PLAN
TO BUILD AN ANTI-MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM COULD LEAD TO AN ARMS 
RACE IN OUTER SPACE.  (SIGNED) 

NEB/LS/JWH

26-Mar-99 12:56 PM EST (1756 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.