12 October 1999White House Report, Tuesday, October 12, 1999
(Pakistan, CTBT, Jordan's King) (670) ............. DISCUSSIONS ON CTBT CONTINUE BETWEEN LEADERS IN SENATE "There are ongoing conversations between the Democratic leadership and the Republican leadership in the Senate" on what to do about a Senate vote on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart said. He noted that President Clinton October 11 "sent a letter to the leaders seeking a delay in the vote, based on our national security interests...and it's our hope now that the Senate will do the same and delay the vote." "I think we've made clear that it's not in our national security interests to go forward in this situation with a process that has not allowed for full debate and examination of the issue when the votes are clearly not there, as it stands now," Lockhart said. "I think there are a number of Senators on both sides of the aisle who share that view. The question now is can the leadership work out a process where we can move forward and delay the vote?" Lockhart made clear that the White House does not feel comfortable with those Senators "who have argued that we shouldn't take this up in any way, shape, or form until after the next election." It's in the national security of the United States to delay the vote, Lockhart said, because it sends the wrong message if the treaty is defeated. But, he added, "it sends an equally dangerous message if we indicate that under no terms and in no certain terms we are not in the nonproliferation business from now until 2001." ...........