[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 22 (Friday, February 23, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E203-E204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                IRAN'S THREAT TO PERSIAN GULF'S SECURITY

                                 ______


                         HON. GARY L. ACKERMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, February 23, 1996

  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of 
the American people a potentially ominous situation for a region of the 
world to which the United States attaches great importance. It has 
always been in the interests of the United States to promote a balance 
of power in the Middle East and the peaceful flow of oil in the Persian 
Gulf. Stability and security has always been in the interests of our 
allies in the region as well and for the last 50 years has generally 
been a high priority in the execution of American foreign policy.
  However, the recent sale of advanced cruise missiles by the People's 
Republic of China [PRC] to Iran is a threat to that same stability and 
flies directly in the face of American nonproliferation efforts. I 
highlight this sale, and emphasize its possibly destabilizing effects, 
for my colleagues and all Americans for several reasons.
  First, the sale of these weapons by China is a blatant violation of 
the Missile Technology Control Regime [MTCR], a global accord that was 
enacted in the hope of halting the spread of advanced missiles around 
the globe. With this recent weapons sale, China has clearly violated 
the agreement.
  The repercussion of this sale in the region is undeniable. Iran's 
purchase of these weapons gives it the possibility of dramatically 
influencing, and potentially gaining control of, the gulf's important 
and lucrative shipping lanes--something Iran has sought for 17 years. 
There is no doubt that we must take this sale for what it is--an 
attempt by Iran to gain hegemony over the distribution of the region's 
valuable oil reserves. Iran's violent and aggressive recent past cannot 
allow us to be deceived into thinking that these weapons are to be used 
for any other but offensive purposes. This is pure and simple an 
offensive threat to both our, and the region's, commercial shipping 
industry.

[[Page E204]]

  Our interest in the region, and our past expense of resources to 
defend those interests, dictate the importance of not overlooking this 
recent action. We must ensure that the potential for any increased 
peaceful trade, due to the Middle East peace process, not be disrupted. 
We cannot allow the promise of a bright economic future for the Middle 
East and the Persian Gulf suffer at the hands of the despotic rulers in 
Iran. To counter that, I have recently cosponsored legislation that 
would deeply affect Iran's ability to do business and I strongly urge 
all my colleagues to do the same. These proposed economic sanctions 
will show that the United States has no intention of abandoning the 
gulf region to the terroristic whims of Iran's mullahs.

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