Suchergebnisse

ONE HUNDRED AND TEN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAVE SIGNED A LETTER URGING PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON TO "UNDERTAKE A FUNDAMENTAL RE-EVALUATION OF U.S. ARMS TRANSFER POLICY." THE LETTER NOTES THAT THERE IS AN "EXCESS OF CONVENTIONAL MILITARY EQUIPMENT FLOODING GLOBAL MARKETS" AND THAT IT IS "IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST TO FIND A WAY TO STOP THIS MILITARIZATION."

IN AN EFFORT TO REVERSE RUSSIA'S SAGGING WEAPONS EXPORTS, FOREIGN MINISTER ANDREI KOZYREV HAS PROPOSED THAT WASHINGTON MAKE ROOM FOR RUSSIAN ARMS EXPORTERS SEEKING TO PENETRATE TRADITIONAL MARKETS FOR AMERICAN WEAPONS. HE REQUESTED UNSPECIFIED U.S. ACTION TO FACILITATE RUSSIAN WEAPONS SALES TO TRADITIONAL AMERICAN CLIENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, EAST ASIA, AND THE WEST. HE SAID THAT OPENING UP MARKETS WOULD DECREASE PRESSURE ON MOSCOW TO RESUME ARMS SALES TO "THE WRONG PEOPLE."

ON SEPTEMBER 26, 1993, RUSSIA FORMALLY REQUESTED THAT THE SIGNERS OF THE CONVENTIONAL ARMED FORCES IN EUROPE TREATY (CFE) CONSIDER WAYS TO PERMIT MOSCOW TO DEPLOY MORE GROUND WEAPONS ON ITS SOUTHERN FLANK. RUSSIA CITED THE INSTABILITY IN THE TRANSCAUCASUS AS THE PRIMARY REASON FOR SEEKING AN INCREASE IN ITS FORCES. UKRAINE HAS ALSO FORMALLY EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT ITS FLANK LIMITS, WHICH HAVE THE EFFECT OF REQUIRING KIEV TO STATION APPROXIMATELY 60 PERCENT OF ITS FORCES ON 40 PERCENT OF ITS TERRITORY.

FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW, THE UNITED STATES HAS EMERGED AS THE WORLD'S NUMBER ONE EXPORTER OF CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, ACCORDING TO AN ANNUAL REPORT PUBLISHED BY THE CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE. ALTHOUGH RUSSIA WOULD LIKE TO SELL ARMS TO HELP ITS MILITARY MANUFACTURERS, IT HAS SO FAR BEEN LARGELY UNSUCCESSFUL. DESPITE U.S. CONCERN ABOUT BEIJING'S ARMS SALES, CHINA'S WEAPONS EXPORTS DROPPED 75% IN 1992.

WITH SERBIAN FORCES CONTINUING TO ATTACK POORLY DEFENDED MUSLIM ENCLAVES IN BOSNIA-HERCEGOVINA, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION IS CONSIDERING TRYING TO LIFT THE UNITED NATIONS ARMS EMBARGO AGAINST THE BESIEGED FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC. ALTHOUGH IT IS RELUCTANT TO ENDORSE DEEPER U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN THE ETHNIC CONFLICTS, THE ADMINISTRATION IS CONTEMPLATING AN END TO THE EMBARGO IN ORDER TO BOLSTER BOSNIAN DEFENSES AND COUNTER THE IMPRESSION THAT WASHINGTON IS DOING NOTHING WHILE SERBIAN ATTACKS ESCALATE.

OUTGOING PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH ENDED HIS TERM IN OFFICE WITH A FLURRY OF ARMS SALES, QUIETLY ANNOUNCING MAJOR WEAPONS SHIPMENTS TO COMMUNIST CHINA AND KUWAIT IN THE CLOSING WEEKS OF HIS ADMINISTRATION. BUSH APPROVED FOUR WEAPONS SALES TO CHINA, LIFTING AN ARMS BAN THAT HAD BEEN IN FORCE SINCE THE TIANANMEN SQUARE MASSACRE IN 1989.

IN JANUARY 1993, REPRESENTATIVES FROM 130 COUNTRIES MET IN PARIS TO SIGN THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION, WHICH BANS THE USE, PRODUCTION, STOCKPILING, AND DEVELOPMENT OF POISON GAS. UNDER THE ACCORD, SIGNATORIES MUST DESTROY THEIR CHEMICAL WEAPONS STOCKS AND FACILITIES WITHIN 10 YEARS, ALTHOUGH A FIVE-YEAR EXTENSION MAY BE INVOKED IN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

PRESIDENT BUSH MADE THE DESTRUCTION OF IRAQ'S NUCLEAR, CHEMICAL, AND BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND PRODUCTION FACILITIES A HIGH PRIORITY DURING THE GULF WAR. THE LIMITED INFORMATION ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF THIS EFFORT IS BASED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON FRAGMENTARY REPORTS PROVIDED BY THE PENTAGON. ACCORDING TO THIS OFFICIAL ASSESSMENT, IRAQ'S RUDIMENTARY NUCLEAR ENERGY AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN OBLITERATED.

PRESIDENT BUSH'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF UNILATERAL CUTS IN THE U.S. NUCLEAR ARSENAL AND SOVIET PRESIDENT GORBACHEV'S POSITIVE RESPONSE WILL SPEED FINAL APPROVAL OF TWO SIGNED BUT UNRATIFIED ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENTS, ACCORDING TO TOP U.S. AND SOVIET OFFICIALS. BUSH'S ANNOUNCEMENT APPEARS TO HAVE HAD THE EFFECT OF CONSOLIDATING ALREADY STRONG SUPPORT FOR PUSHING AHEAD WITH BOTH START AND CFE.

DURING HIGH-LEVEL MEETINGS IN MARCH 1991, THE UNITED STATES AND THE SOVIET UNION MADE ONLY LIMITED PROGRESS TOWARD RESOLVING THE OUTSTANDING ISSUES BLOCKING RATIFICATION OF THE CONVENTIONAL ARMED FORCES IN EUROPE (CFE) TREATY.