Suchergebnisse

Is there a link between the collapse of the Soviet Union, the radical reforms in China and Vietnam, and the current crisis in East Asia? David Lockwood argues that the common factor in each is the crisis of state-controlled economies, besieged by the developing forces of globalization. This book examines the collapse of the Soviet Union not as the 'end of history', or the beginning of a 'new world order', but as an illustration of processes that are taking place the world over. The author concludes that it was globalization that brought down the communist system. Globalization continues to threaten state-controlled economies - from the remaining 'socialist' state to the NICs of East Asia.

ON MAY 11, 1993, SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER INITIATED THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S FORMAL TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF THE START II AGREEMENT. HE TOLD THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE THAT RATIFICATION WOULD ENHANCE STRATEGIC STABILITY, FOSTER TRANSPARENCY AND OPENNESS, AND ELIMINATE FIRST STRIKE CAPABILITIES AND THE STRATEGIES OF A BYGONE ERA.

THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS OFFICIALLY REPUDIATED THE BROAD INTERPRETATION OF THE ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE TREATY, A POSITION INITIALLY PROPOSED BY THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION IN AN EFFORT TO FACILITATE SPACE-BASED TESTING FOR THE STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE.

ON FEBRUARY 17, 1993, PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON RELEASED A DOCUMENT WITH NEW DETAILS OF HIS DEFENSE BUDGET PLAN, PROPOSING A $127 BILLION CUT IN FORMER PRESIDENT BUSH'S DEFENSE SPENDING FOR FISCAL YEARS 1994 THROUGH 1998.

ON HIS LAST FULL DAY IN OFFICE, GEORGE BUSH SUBMITTED "THE PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS ON SOVIET NONCOMPLIANCE WITH ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENTS." THIS REPORT REVERSES THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S POSITION ON WHETHER A DATA LINK BETWEEN SOVIET EARLY WARNING RADARS AND THE MOSCOW ABM SYSTEM ARE A SIGNIFICANT VIOLATION OF FUNDAMENTAL PROVISIONS OF THE ABM TREATY. IT ALSO ADDRESSES QUESTIONS REGARDING COMPLIANCE WITH THE NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION TREATY BY CHINA, IRAN, IRAQ, LIBYA, NORTH KOREA, AND SOUTH AFRICA.

ON JANUARY 3, 1993, U.S. PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH AND RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN SIGNED THE HISTORIC FOLLOW-UP STRATEGIC ARMS REDUCTION TREATY (START II). THE NEW ACCORD WILL SLASH CURRENT U.S. AND RUSSIAN STRATEGIC NUCLEAR FORCES BY ABOUT TWO-THIRDS AND THE WARHEAD LEVELS PROJECTED UNDER START I BY MORE THAN 50 PERCENT. ON JANUARY 15, THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION SUBMITTED THE TREATY TO THE SENATE, WHERE APPROVAL IS EXPECTED. HOWEVER, START II CANNOT ENTER INTO FORCE UNTIL START I DOES--A PROCESS THAT IS BEING HELD UP BY BELARUS, UKRAINE, AND KAZAKHSTAN.

IN JANUARY 1993, A UKRAINIAN DELEGATION VISITED WASHINGTON TO DISCUSS ISSUES RELATED TO UKRAINIAN RATIFICATION OF THE FIRST STRATEGIC ARMS REDUCTION TREATY (START I) AND ACCESSION TO THE NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION TREATY (NPT). WASHINGTON INFORMED UKRAINE THAT IT IS PREPARED TO OFFER KIEV SECURITY ASSURANCES ALONG THE LINES OF COMMITMENTS IT HAS MADE IN THE PAST TO SIGNATORIES OF THE NPT. THE TWO DELEGATIONS ALSO DISCUSSED U.S. ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO UKRAINE.

THE SECOND STRATEGIC ARMS REDUCTION TREATY (START II) WILL SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVE U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY. WHEN IT IS RATIFIED AND IMPLEMENTED, THE NEW PACT WILL RESULT IN DEEP REDUCTIONS IN STRATEGIC NUCLEAR FORCES, IMPROVE THE STABILITY OF THE STRATEGIC NUCLEAR BALANCE, STRENGTHEN PROSPECTS FOR A LONG-TERM EXTENSION OF THE NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION TREATY, ENHANCE PREDICTABILITY AND OPENNESS, AND PROVIDE A HEDGE AGAINST UNWELCOME POLITICAL CHANGES IN MOSCOW. MOREOVER, THE TREATY SYMBOLIZES A MUTUAL U.S.-RUSSIAN COMMITMENT TO A MORE CONSTRUCTIVE POLITICAL RELATIONSHIP AND PROVIDES A BAROMETER BY WHICH WASHINGTON CAN MONITOR THIS NEW RELATIONSHIP.

U.S. CIA OFFICIALS BELIEVE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO TRANSFERS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS-GRADE MATERIAL IN SIGNIFICANT QUANTITIES FROM THE FORMER SOVIET UNION. THEY ALSO BELIEVE THAT NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS HAVE LEFT CIS TERRITORY AND NUCLEAR WEAPON DESIGN INFORMATION HAS NOT BEEN SOLD OR TRANSFERRED TO FOREIGN STATES.

ON FEBRUARY 18, 1993, THE UNITED STATES AND RUSSIA SIGNED AN AGREEMENT COMMITTING THE USA TO PURCHASE 500 METRIC TONS OF HIGHLY-ENRICHED URANIUM EXTRACTED FROM FORMER SOVIET NUCLEAR WARHEADS OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS. HOWEVER, THE PROCESS CANNOT ACTUALLY BEGIN UNTIL A DETAILED CONTRACT IS NEGOTIATED AND ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE, ON A BILATERAL BASIS, BETWEEN RUSSIA AND BELARUS, KAZAKHSTAN, AND UKRAINE ON THE DIVISION OF THE PROCEEDS.