DATE=4/21/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S-RUSSIA-NUCLEAR (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-261603
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO:  The Clinton administration is welcoming the 
ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban 
Treaty, or C-T-B-T, by the lower house of the Russian 
parliament, the Duma, and it is expressing confidence 
the U-S Senate will eventually change course and 
approve it was well. V-O-A's David Gollust reports 
from the White House.


TEXT:  The U-S Senate's rejection of the test ban 
treaty last year was a major foreign policy 
embarrassment for the administration.  And officials 
here are expressing hope the growing number of 
countries ratifying it -- including Russia -- will 
help prod the Senate to reconsider, though this is 
highly unlikely to occur before President Clinton 
leaves office.

The Duma vote on the test ban, which came a week after 
its ratification of the START-Two Strategic Arms 
Reduction Treaty with the United States, is a new 
victory for Russian President-elect Vladimir Putin in 
dealing with a parliament largely populated by defense 
hard-liners and former Communists.

In a written statement, President Clinton 
congratulated Mr. Putin, Duma members and Russian 
citizens for what he termed "an important step toward 
a safer future." 

Mr. Clinton said approval of the test ban by Russia -- 
and other countries that have recently ratified 
including Chile, Bangladesh and Turkey  -- renews 
momentum for the international effort to halt the 
spread of nuclear weapons and promote disarmament 
around the world.

Briefing reporters here, White House spokesman Joe 
Lockhart made clear the administration hopes the new 
impetus for arms control extends to the Republican-
controlled Senate, which rejected the test ban by a 
51-to-48 vote last October:

            ///Lockhart actuality///

      We look forward to working with the new Russian 
      government on a whole series of arms control 
      issues.Obviously it is an important step when a 
      large country goes forward and ratifies C-T-B-T. 
      We welcome that. We hope that as time goes on, 
      and we are able to make our case to the Senate, 
      that our Senate will follow the lead of many 
      other countries around the world and ratify and 
      important treaty.

            ///end act///

Under questioning, Mr. Lockhart said President 
Clinton's record on arms control has been 
"unparalleled" despite the test-ban defeat and that 
thousands of nuclear warheads once fielded by the 
major powers have been dismantled during his time in 
office.

Arms control analysts say President-elect Putin's arms 
control successes in the Duma could strengthen 
Moscow's hand in the dispute with the Washington over 
U-S efforts to develop a limited national missile 
defense system.

Russia contends the U-S project - nominally directed 
against missile firings by North Korea or other so-
called rogue states - violates the 1972 anti-ballistic 
missile or A-B-M treaty.  

Mr. Putin has warned that if President Clinton decides 
later this year to deploy the system, Moscow might 
pull out of existing nuclear arms control agreements 
and end discussions on a proposed START-Three treaty.

The issue is expected to be the most difficult agenda 
item for the Clinton-Putin summit meeting to be held 
in Moscow the first week of June.  (Signed)



NEB/DG/ENE/PT







21-Apr-2000 17:29 PM EDT (21-Apr-2000 2129 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.