    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [June 23, 1998]
    [Page 1027]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1027]]

    Statement on Returning Without Approval to the House of Representatives
    Legislation on Missile Proliferation Sanctions
    June 23, 1998

        I have committed my administration to an unceasing effort to halt
    the transfer of missile technology to nations that conduct or condone
    terrorism and otherwise violate international norms. The stated purpose
    of H.R. 2709--the ``Iran Missile Proliferation Act of 1998''--is to
    further this effort. To the contrary, if enacted, it would damage the
    U.S. national interest, making it harder to achieve the goals it is
    intended to serve. Therefore, I am vetoing this bill.
        The battle against proliferation is most effective as a cooperative
    enterprise. It will be successful if other, like-minded governments join
    in enacting and enforcing the strictest possible export-control
    policies. As my veto message makes clear, this bill mandates the
    sweeping application of sanctions according to inflexible and
    indiscriminate criteria. It would require the imposition of sanctions
    based on an unworkably low standard of evidence. Sanctions could be
    wrongly triggered against individuals and businesses worldwide,
    including against companies that did not know the true end user of their
    products. The sanctions are also disproportionate. A minor violation
    would carry the same penalty as a major one. As a result, the bill would
    generate tensions and discourage cooperation with the very nations whose
    support we must enlist.
        From my conversations with Members of Congress, I sense a growing
    awareness that the vast machinery of U.S. sanctions law has not served
    our interests well and is in serious need of an overhaul. Adding yet
    another flawed sanctions bill is not the way to start, especially since
    this one is redundant. Existing law provides a sufficient basis for
    imposing sanctions when we need them.
        I am particularly concerned about the impact that the bill would
    have on our on-going effort to work with the Russian Government to stem
    the flow of technology from that country to Iran's missile program. This
    is a very real problem, to which this administration has accorded the
    highest priority over the past year and a half. As a result of my own
    work with President Yeltsin, reinforced by the
    efforts of the Vice President, the
    Secretary of State, and other
    officials, the Russian Government recently has adopted new legal and
    administrative measures to deal with this problem. While the hard work
    of implementation must continue, we have seen concrete progress, which
    we seek to encourage, not undercut.
        This bill will make it more difficult to continue our work with the
    Russian Government in this area. Moreover, the imposition of unilateral
    American sanctions could damage our interests in working with the
    Russian Government in other vital areas, such as arms control, law
    enforcement, counternarcotics and combating transnational crime. This
    bill would hinder, not help, our overall national interests.