[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 60 (Wednesday, May 13, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H3118-H3119]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       INDIA TESTS NUCLEAR DEVICE

  (Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia 
and the Pacific, this Member rises to express his deep regret and 
disappointment at the series of underground nuclear tests staged May 11 
and 13 by India.

[[Page H3119]]

  While offering assurances of their commitment to world peace, India's 
actions have quite possibly triggered a chain of events that could set 
back global efforts of nonproliferation and severely increase tensions 
throughout the region and the world. In Pakistan, public pressure is 
mounting on the government to proceed with similar nuclear testing. 
China also has expressed its concern about the tests, and there are 
some suggestions that Beijing may consider resuming its nuclear testing 
program.
  This Member would note that the law is quite specific on this matter. 
If a non-nuclear State tests a nuclear device, sanctions must be 
imposed by our government. Failure to do so would render U.S. 
nonproliferation policy impotent.
  The United States was required to impose the sanctions mandated by 
law on India. Mr. Speaker, this member calls upon the government of 
India to carefully reconsider and attempt to back away from what it has 
unleashed, and urges the government of Pakistan to exercise restraint 
in its response.

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