    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [April 29, 1998]
    [Pages 640-641]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Congress Reporting a Certification Required by the
    Ratification Resolution of the Chemical Weapons Convention
    April 29, 1998

    To the Congress of the United States:
        In accordance with the resolution of advice and consent to
    ratification of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,
    Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their
    Destruction, adopted by the Senate of the United States on April 24,
    1997, I hereby certify in connection with Condition (7)(C)(i),
    Effectiveness of Australia Group, that:
            Australia Group members continue to maintain an equally
            effective or more comprehensive control over the export of toxic

    [[Page 641]]

            chemicals and their precursors, dual-use processing equipment,
            human, animal and plant pathogens and toxins with potential
            biological weapons application, and dual-use biological
            equipment, as that afforded by the Australia Group as of April
            25, 1997; and
            The Australia Group remains a viable mechanism for limiting the
            spread of chemical and biological weapons-related materials and
            technology, and the effectiveness of the Australia Group has not
            been undermined by changes in membership, lack of compliance
            with common export controls and nonproliferation measures, or
            the weakening of common controls and nonproliferation measures,
            in force as of April 25, 1997.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    April 29, 1998.

    Note: This letter was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    April 30.