[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

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        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.