[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
[June 7, 1991]
[Pages 625-626]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement by Press Secretary Fitzwater on Supercomputer Export Controls
June 7, 1991

    In November 1990 President Bush called for efforts to improve the 
multilateral application of export controls on high performance 
computers. Based on that initiative, the United States and Japan on June 
6 concluded consultations on supercomputer export controls. Both 
Governments share the view that supercomputers are of strategic concern, 
particularly for the development of nuclear weapons and missiles, and 
that great importance should be attached to export controls on 
supercomputers for the purpose of preventing the proliferation of such 
weapons.
    The consultations will assist supercomputer suppliers by 
streamlining procedures for supercomputer exports to many free-world 
trading partners. The bulk of U.S. supercomputer exports are to Western 
Europe and Japan.
    Supercomputers are defined as computers above the 195 million 
theoretical operations per second (Mtops) level. The consultations 
address procedures the United States and Japan have applied to 
supercomputer exports in recent years.
    For exports to countries that pose a national security or 
proliferation concern, such as countries that have not signed the 
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, strict safeguards against misuse are 
required. Depending on the destination and circum-

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stances, some applications may be denied. The United States and Japan 
will consult with each other prior to each supercomputer export to such 
countries.
    The United States and Japan hope to establish a more effective 
control system by seeking the cooperation of several European countries 
with emerging supercomputer suppliers.
    Details of the procedures and safeguards will be published by the 
Commerce Department in the Federal Register to provide guidance to U.S. 
exporters.

                    Note: The Office of the Press Secretary issued a 
                        fact sheet on the same day which provided 
                        additional information on supercomputer export 
                        controls.