Voice of America 4/15/97

FORBES / CHEMICAL WEAPONS

BYLINE=DAVID SWAN
DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  AMERICAN BUSINESS LEADER AND FORMER 
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE STEVE FORBES IS JOINING 
THE ATTACK ON THE GLOBAL CHEMICAL WEAPONS 
TREATY, WHICH FACES A CRUCIAL VOTE IN THE SENATE
NEXT WEEK.  V-O-A'S DAVID SWAN REPORTS FROM 
CAPITOL HILL.

TEXT:  THE TREATY'S OPPONENTS CHARGE IT DOES 
LITTLE TO STOP ROGUE NATIONS FROM MAKING POISON 
GAS, BUT WOULD FORCE AMERICAN CHEMICAL
COMPANIES TO UNDERGO INTRUSIVE INSPECTIONS.  
MR. FORBES TOLD SENATORS (TUESDAY) THOSE 
INSPECTIONS WOULD VIOLATE THE U-S CONSTITUTION
 -- AND GIVE OTHER COUNTRIES A GREEN LIGHT FOR 
INDUSTRIAL SPYING.

                        // FORBES ACT //

NO  LONGER WILL VIOLATORS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 
RIGHTS IN CHINA, IRAN AND ELSEWHERE HAVE TO GO TO THE 
TROUBLE OF PIRATING OUR SECRETS.  INCREDIBLY, WE 
OURSELVES WILL EFFECTIVELY HAND THEM THE STUFF ON A 
SILVER PLATTER.

                          // END ACT //

THE TREATY'S IMPACT ON BUSINESS IS ONE OF THE 
MOST CONTENTIOUS ISSUES IN THE CURRENT DEBATE.  
WHILE SOME OF THE COUNTRY'S BIG CHEMICAL 
FIRMS ARE SUPPORTING THE TREATY, SMALL AND
MID-SIZED ONES ARE LINED UP AGAINST IT, ON THE 
GROUNDS IT WOULD MEAN COSTLY NEW 
RECORD-KEEPING AND REGULATIONS.

BUT DEMOCRATIC SENATOR JOSEPH BIDEN, WHOSE 
STATE IS HOME TO MANY CHEMICAL COMPANIES, 
ACCUSES CRITICS OF OVERSTATING THE AGREEMENT'S
EFFECT ON COMMERCE.  HE SAYS LAW-ABIDING 
INDUSTRIES HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR.

                         // BIDEN ACT //

UNFORTUNATELY, WE WILL REWARD THIS RESPONSIBLE 
BEHAVIOR WITH A SLAP IN THE FACE IN MY VIEW 
IF WE FAIL TO RATIFY THIS CONVENTION AND SUBJECT
THE U-S CHEMICAL INDUSTRY TO INTERNATIONAL
SANCTIONS -- THE SAME SANCTIONS, I MIGHT ADD, 
THAT WE OURSELVES INSISTED BE PLACED IN THIS 
CONVENTION IN THE FIRST INSTANCE.

                          // END ACT //

WHILE THE ACCORD PROVIDES FOR INTERNATIONAL 
SANCTIONS, REPUBLICANS ARE DRAFTING ANOTHER 
CHEMICAL WEAPONS BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW THE 
UNITED STATES TO IMPOSE ITS OWN SANCTIONS ON 
OTHER COUNTRIES.  THE SENATE IS SCHEDULED TO 
TAKE UP THAT PROPOSAL THURSDAY.  A VOTE ON 
THE GLOBAL TREATY ITSELF IS EXPECTED NEXT 
WEEK. (SIGNED)

NEB/DS/RRM

15-Apr-97 5:20 PM EDT (2120 UTC)
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