    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book I)]
    [March 20, 1997]
    [Pages 329-330]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on the Anniversary of the Sarin Gas Attack in Tokyo, Japan
    March 20, 1997

        Two years ago terrorists launched a cowardly chemical attack in
    Tokyo's subways that took 12 lives and injured thousands more. Today we
    join with the people of Japan in remembering their pain and loss.
        This tragic anniversary also reminds us that we must do everything
    possible to protect Americans from the threat of a similar terrorist
    outrage. That includes ratifying the Chemical Weapons Convention, a step
    that Japan's Diet took within a month of the attack in Tokyo. And just
    this week, the treaty was submitted to Russia's Duma for ratification.
    We still have not ratified. It would be harmful to our national
    interests if the United States, which led the way in developing this
    treaty, was on the outside, not the inside, when it comes into operation
    on April 29.
        The Chemical Weapons Convention will help to thwart chemical
    terrorists in several important ways. It will eliminate their largest
    potential source of chemical weapons by mandating the destruction of
    existing chemical weapon stockpiles. It will make it more difficult for
    terrorists to gain access to chemicals that can be used to make chemical
    weapons. It will tie the United States into a global intelligence and
    information network that can help provide early warning of terrorist
    plans for a chemical attack. It will give our law enforcement new
    authority at home to investigate and prosecute anyone seeking to acquire
    chemical weapons or to use them against innocent civilians.

    [[Page 330]]

        Just as no law prevents every crime, no treaty is foolproof. But the
    Chemical Weapons Convention will help make our citizens more secure. It
    will also help protect our soldiers by requiring member nations to
    destroy their chemical weapons, a step that we are already taking under
    U.S. law.
        These overwhelming benefits explain why America's military leaders
    and Presidents of both parties have strongly supported the ratification
    of this treaty. As we remember the terrible toll that sarin gas took in
    Tokyo 2 years ago, I urge the Senate to help protect our citizens and
    soldiers and strengthen our fight against terror by ratifying the
    Chemical Weapons Convention now.