DATE=4/24/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N - ALBRIGHT ON NUKE TREATY (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-261671
BYLINE=BRECK ARDERY
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:


INTRO: U-S Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said 
today (Monday) that the Clinton administration has not 
given up on American ratification of the Comprehensive 
Test Ban Treaty. V-O-A Correspondent Breck Ardery 
reports on Ms. Albright's remarks to a United Nations- 
sponsored conference on nuclear weapons.   


TEXT: Ms. Albright expressed pleasure over the 
decisions by the Russian parliament to approve a 
treaty to reduce the number of nuclear weapons (START 
II) and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty or 
C-T-B-T. Ms. Albright said the Russian action is "the 
kind of arms race America likes to see."

Last October, the United States Senate refused to 
ratify the test ban treaty. But Ms. Albright said the 
Clinton administration is still committed to C-T-B-T 
ratification and will attempt to change the views of 
the Senators who opposed the treaty. 

            /// ALBRIGHT ACT ///

      President Clinton has appointed General John 
      Shalikashvili, former Chairman of the Joint 
      Chiefs of Staff (former highest-ranking U-S 
      military officer), to help advise us on how best 
      to respond to the Senators' concerns about the 
      C-T-B-T so we can build support for its eventual 
      ratification.

            /// END ACT ///

The U-S Secretary of State spoke to the International 
Conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, a 
meeting that is held every five years to review 
progress in implementing the 1968 agreement.

            /// REST OPT ///

American consideration of a national missile defense 
system is causing much controversy at the conference. 
China, Russia, and a number of other nations are 
strongly opposed to the idea, saying it would violate 
the anti-Ballistic Missile treaty. But Ms. Albright 
said that treaty could be amended. She said the U-S 
plans are aimed at defense against attacks by smaller 
countries and would not upset the strategic balance of 
nuclear power.

            /// ALBRIGHT ACT ///

      Please remember that we are talking about a 
      system capable of defending against at most a 
      few tens of incoming missiles. It is not 
      intended to degrade Russia's deterrent nor will 
      it have that result.

            /// END ACT ///

The U-N conference on nuclear non-proliferation will 
continue for a month, and organizers hope it will end 
with consensus statements regarding nuclear 
disarmament, non-proliferation, and the peaceful uses 
of nuclear energy. (Signed)  

NEB/BA/LSF/TVM/gm



24-Apr-2000 18:28 PM EDT (24-Apr-2000 2228 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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