DATE=10/5/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CLINTON-TEST BAN (L)
NUMBER=2-254696
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  President Clinton is working against time to 
try to line up -- by next Tuesday -- enough Senate 
votes to ratify the global treaty banning underground 
nuclear tests. V-O-A's David Gollust reports from the 
White House.

TEXT:  Republican opponents ended delaying tactics and 
set the vote next week, confident that the President 
could  not  muster the two-thirds Senate majority 
needed for ratification.  But Mr. Clinton has taken up 
the challenge, scheduling a virtually non-stop series 
of public events and private meetings with Senators in 
an effort to turn the tide in favor of the treaty.

Meeting reporters here, Mr. Clinton said rejection of 
the treaty would send a "terrible message" to the 
world and reverse a leadership role in arms control 
that began with the Republican Eisenhower 
administration of the 1950's:

            /// CLINTON ACT ///

      We have been a leader for non-proliferation 
      including for the concept of a test ban treaty 
      since time of Dwight Eisenhower.  He's the first 
      person who recommended this.  And before this 
      Congress it would have been unthinkable that a 
      treaty of this kind, particularly with the 
      strengthening reservations I have offered to 
      work with Congress to put it, it would have been 
      unthinkable before this Congress that such a 
      treaty would not pass.

            /// END ACT ///

Republicans say the treaty is unverifiable, and would 
eliminate the United States' ability to test the 
reliability of its nuclear arsenal.  Arizona Senator 
John Kyle says rogue states have continued seeking a 
weapons capability despite the nuclear non-
proliferation treaty and it would be "naive" to think 
that having the test ban would be any different:

            /// KYLE ACTUALITY ///

      Since this treaty can  not  be verified, since 
      countries we believe today are violating an 
      existing treaty against nuclear proliferation, 
      and since we need to be able to determine 
      whether or not our weapons - our deterrent upon 
      which much of the world relies - are safe and 
      reliable, this is not the time to be committing 
      ourselves to a treaty that precludes all testing 
      by the United States forever.

            /// END ACT ///

Mr. Clinton planned a pro-treaty event for Wednesday 
that would include present and former U-S military 
commanders, Nobel Laureates and others - the President 
seemingly undaunted by forecasts, even from Democrats, 
that he is far short of the support needed to get the 
test ban through the Senate.   (Signed)

NEB/DAG/TVM/WTW



05-Oct-1999 18:52 PM EDT (05-Oct-1999 2252 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.