DATE=6/10/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233666
TITLE=ALBRIGHT / ARMS CONTROL (L)
BYLINE=GIL BUTLER
DATELINE=STATE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT HAS URGED QUICK U-S
SENATE RATIFICATION OF THE NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATY, AND EXPRESSED
REGRET THAT THE RUSSIAN LEGISLATURE HAS POSTPONED ITS 
RATIFICATION OF THE START TWO NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT TREATY.  
V-O-A'S GIL BUTLER REPORTS SHE MADE HER REMARKS IN A SPEECH 
FOCUSSING ON THE IMPLICATIONS OF RECENT NUCLEAR TESTS BY INDIA 
AND PAKISTAN.  

TEXT:  SECRETARY ALBRIGHT SPOKE TO A SEMINAR IN WASHINGTON THAT 
IS LOOKING AT THE STATUS OF ARMS CONTROL IN THE AFTERMATH OF 
NUCLEAR TESTS BY INDIA AND PAKISTAN.  SHE SAID THE TESTS DEALT A 
BLOW TO NON PROLIFERATION, BUT DID  NOT  LESSEN THE NEED FOR IT.

SHE SAID U-S SENATE RATIFICATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN 
TREATY -- THE C-T-B-T -- IS STEP ONE IN REDUCING THE NUCLEAR 
DANGER AFTER THE SOUTH ASIA TESTS. 

                      /// ALBRIGHT ACT ///

         ON THIS CRITICAL MEASURE, AT THIS PERILOUS TIME, 
         AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SHOULD BE UNABIGUOUS, DECISIVE AND 
         STRONG.  IN PARTICULAR, I URGE MY FRIEND SENATOR (JESSE)
         HELMS TO BRING THE C-T-B-T BEFORE HIS COMMITTEE, EXAMINE
         IT ON ITS MERITS.  AND IF THE CHAIRMAN WANTS ME TO 
         TESTIFY, ALL HE HAS TO DO IS SAY THE WORD AND I'LL BE 
         THERE... // OPT //  OR JUST WHISTLE. (CHUCKLE) // END 
         OPT //

                         /// END ACT ///

SECRETARY ALBRIGHT TOLD THE SEMINAR AMERICA'S STRATEGY FOR 
REDUCING NUCLEAR DANGER INVOLVES MORE THAN TEST BANS.  SHE SAID 
UNTIL RUSSIAN AND AMERICAN NUCLEAR ARSENALS ARE IN LINE WITH POST
COLD WAR REALITIES, THEY ARE LARGER AND IN A HIGHER STATE OF 
ALERT THAN WOULD BE, IN HER WORD, IDEAL.  SHE SAID NUCLEAR 
REDUCTIONS UNDER THE START ONE AGREEMENT ARE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, 
BUT START TWO MUST STILL BE RATIFIED.

                      /// ALBRIGHT ACT ///

         UNFORTUNATELY, I MUST REPORT THAT THE DUMA TODAY VOTED 
         TO POSTPONE CONSIDERATION OF START TWO.  I DEEPLY REGRET
         THAT DECISION, AND I HOPE THE MAJORITY OF THE RUSSIAN 
         LEGISLATURE WILL COME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ITS CLEAREST 
         THINKERS ALREADY HAVE -- WHICH IS THAT, IN LIGHT OF THE 
         SOUTH ASIA TESTS, START TWO RATIFICATION IS NOW MORE 
         URGENT THAN EVER.

                         /// END ACT ///

// OPT // SHE SAID RATIFICATION OF START TWO WILL SET THE STAGE 
FOR START THREE, WHICH SHE SAID WILL REDUCE STRATEGIC NUCLEAR 
WEAPONS TO 80 PERCENT BELOW COLD WAR PEAKS. // END OPT //

IN A NEW INITIATIVE, SECRETARY ALBRIGHT PROPOSED AN  
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT TO PLACE TIGHTER CONTROLS ON THE EXPORT 
OF SHOULDER-FIRED MISSILES, WHICH SHE DESCRIBED AS A GROWING 
THREAT TO CIVIL AVIATION.  

LATER, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN POINTED TO THE 
PROLIFERATION OF SHOULDER-FIRED AIR DEFENSE MISSILES SUCH AS THE 
U-S STINGER MISSILE.

                        /// RUBIN ACT ///

         THE ARMED FORCES OF MORE THAN 115 COUNTRIES AND DOZENS 
         OF SUB-NATIONAL GROUPS ARE NOW EQUIPPED WITH PORTABLE 
         SURFACE TO AIR MISSILES.  IN LIGHT OF THIS, WE HAVE 
         IMPOSED SOME RATHER STRINGENT EXPORT RESTRICTIONS AND WE
         WANT TO PROMOTE SIMILAR STRINGENCY AROUND THE WORLD. 

                         /// END ACT ///

HE SAID THE UNITED STATES WANTS THOSE COUNTRIES THAT HAVE THE  
MISSILES AND CAN EXPORT THEM, TO APPLY RIGID CONTROLS SO THE 
WEAPONS DO  NOT  FALL INTO THE WRONG HANDS. (SIGNED)

NEB/MGB/MMK

10-Jun-98 3:13 PM EDT (1913 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.