[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 160 (Tuesday, October 17, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1960]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      ANTIPERSONNEL LASER WEAPONS

                                 ______


                          HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 17, 1995

  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, on August 16, 1995, I wrote to Secretary 
of State concerning U.S. policy on the production or use of 
antipersonnel laser weapons. I expressed to the Secretary my support 
for a worldwide ban on such weapons.
  On October 13, 1995, I received a reply from the Department of State 
on progress on the laser weapons issue at the Review Conference of the 
1980 Convention on Conventional Weapons.
  I commend the correspondence to the attention of my colleagues. The 
text of the correspondence follows:
                             Committee on International Relations,


                                     House of Representatives,

                                  Washington, DC, August 16, 1995.
     Hon. Warren Christopher,
     Secretary of State,
     Department of State, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Secretary: I write concerning the upcoming 
     conference in September, 1995 to review the 1980 Conventional 
     Weapons Convention.
       I want to urge you to support proposals at that conference 
     to ban the production or use of anti-personnel laser weapons, 
     since virtually all laser weapons systems have the potential 
     to cause permanent damage of eyesight.
       Lasers have valuable and legitimate uses in battle as range 
     finders and target designators, but I believe it should be 
     the policy of the United States to oppose development or 
     production of anti-personnel laser weapons that can blind.
       It is in the interest of the United States to work together 
     with other technologically-advanced countries to stop the 
     development or production of such laser weapons, to prevent 
     their proliferation and possible future use against U.S. 
     forces.
       The upcoming September conference is a unique opportunity 
     to achieve an outcome that is in the interest of the United 
     States and the entire international community. Therefore, I 
     urge you to support actively efforts to seek an international 
     prohibition on the use of lasers for the purpose of blinding 
     as a method of warfare.
       With best regards,
           Sincerely,
                                                  Lee H. Hamilton,
     Ranking Democratic Member.
                                                                    ____



                                     U.S. Department of State,

                                 Washington, DC, October 13, 1995.
     Hon. Lee Hamilton,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Hamilton: Thank you for your letter of August 16, 
     seeking Secretary Christopher's support for an international 
     prohibition on the use of blinding laser weapons in warfare.
       I am pleased to inform you that the states parties to the 
     1980 Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) have reached 
     consensus at the Review Conference on a new laser weapons 
     protocol, Protocol IV. Not only does it include U.S. language 
     prohibiting the use of ``laser weapons specifically designed 
     to cause permanent blindness of unenhanced vision,'' but it 
     includes a complete transfer ban on such weapons and a 
     requirement that parties take all feasible precautions in the 
     use of all laser systems to avoid the incidence of such 
     blindness. We support these provisions as well.
       As you noted in your letter, lasers have valuable military 
     uses. The Administration wants to protect the legitimate uses 
     of lasers. Our position at the Review Conference therefore 
     balances the concerns raised regarding such weapons with U.S. 
     military requirements. Article 4 of the new laser protocol 
     reflects the U.S. position: ``Blinding as an incidental or 
     collateral effect of the legitimate employment of laser 
     systems, including laser systems used against optical 
     instruments, is not covered by this Protocol.''
       Thank you for your interest in this important issue. We 
     look forward to a favorable resolution of the blinding laser 
     issue at the conclusion of the CCW Review Conference.
           Sincerely,

                                             Wendy R. Sherman,

                                              Assistant Secretary,
     Legislative Affairs.

                          ____________________