[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 30 (Thursday, March 17, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 17, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                 NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION IN SOUTH ASIA

  Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, I have long been a strong advocate of 
nonproliferation policy.
  In 1985, Congress enacted the Pressler amendment that prohibits aid 
to Pakistan unless the President can make a yearly certification that 
the country does not possess a nuclear explosive device. As many of my 
colleagues know, the sanctions in that law took effect when the 
President was unable to make the certification in 1990.
  Recently, the Pressler amendment has been challenged both by the 
administration and some in Congress. This is both unfortunate and 
difficult to understand. The Pressler amendment is the only effective 
nonproliferation law we currently have on the books. Proliferation of 
nuclear weapons is the single greatest security threat facing the 
United States today. As part of the ongoing debate, I ask unanimous 
consent to submit, for the Record, a piece I wrote recently for the New 
York Times.
  There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                [From the New York Times, Mar. 5, 1994]

               We Need Aid Leverage to Slow Nuclear Race

       To the Editor: I cannot agree with Representative Lee 
     Hamilton's conclusions in ``Bomb Scares'' (Op-Ed, Feb. 22), 
     concerning the Pressler Amendment.
       Since 1985, Pakistan has been ineligible to purchase United 
     States arms or receive most aid unless the President annually 
     certifies that Pakistan does not possess a nuclear explosive 
     device. In 1991, President Bush could not do so. As a result, 
     for three years, some $600 million in annual American aid to 
     Pakistan has been cut off.
       Representative Hamilton and some in the Administration 
     propose that Congress repeal the Pressler Amendment or 
     authorize the president to waive it. The Administration has 
     offered assurances that it would not allow arms sales to 
     Pakistan while it possesses a nuclear device, but the 
     presumption is that a waiver, once granted, would be 
     exercised.
       After extensive talks with leaders of Korea, India, 
     Pakistan and the International Atomic Energy Agency, I am 
     convinced we should keep the Pressler Amendment unchanged. 
     President Clinton has stated that proliferation of weapons of 
     mass destruction is the most critical national security issue 
     facing the United States today. To repeal the Pressler 
     Amendment would contradict the President's assessment.
       Providing delivery resources to a country in South Asia we 
     know possesses nuclear weapons would be disastrous. It would 
     lead to an escalation of the nuclear arms race.
       North Korea, other rogue states and countries on the 
     threshold of acquiring nuclear weapons are looking closely to 
     see whether or not we mean what we say. Backing away from the 
     Pressler Amendment would suggest there is no penalty in the 
     decision to go nuclear. In May 1979, President Carter imposed 
     aid sanctions on Pakistan because of its nuclear program. 
     Seven months later he removed those sanctions.
       Pakistan assumed from our inconsistent policy that the 
     United States was not serious on nuclear nonproliferation. It 
     moved ahead with its program. Repeal the Pressler Amendment 
     and other nations will follow.
       Some specialists say that, but for the threat of United 
     States aid termination, Egypt and other countries might now 
     possess nuclear weapons.
       Other members of Congress and I are prepared to fight 
     efforts to overturn the Pressler Amendment. Congress should 
     not weaken the toughest nuclear sanctions legislation ever 
     enacted.
                                                   Larry Pressler,
     U.S. Senator from South Dakota.

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