[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
[April 21, 1999]
[Page 591]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on the Damage Assessment Concerning China's Acquisition of 
Nuclear Weapons Information and Development of Future Weapons
April 21, 1999

    I welcome the Intelligence Community's damage assessment on the 
``Implications of China's Acquisition of U.S. Nuclear Weapons 
Information and the Development of Future Chinese Weapons'' and the 
review of the damage assessment by a panel of independent experts led by 
Admiral Jeremiah, as requested by the 
House Select Committee, chaired by Congressmen Cox and Dicks. I 
appreciate the careful analysis by the intelligence community and the 
independent panel, as well as their efforts to make as much information 
as possible available to the public on this crucial issue.
    The findings of the damage assessment underscore the need to 
implement fully the Presidential Decision Directive I issued in February 
1998 to strengthen security and protections at the U.S. nuclear weapons 
laboratories. I commend Secretary Richardson 
for his efforts in this regard and look forward to the review of lab 
security I requested by the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory 
Board, chaired by Senator Warren Rudman.
    Measures to protect sensitive nuclear weapons information must be 
constantly scrutinized, whether this information is at the national 
laboratories or at other U.S. Government institutions. Therefore, I am 
asking the National Counterintelligence Policy Board to assess potential 
vulnerabilities at other institutions associated with nuclear weapons 
besides the national laboratories and to propose any concrete steps that 
may be appropriate to strengthen protections against efforts by China 
and other countries to acquire sensitive nuclear weapons information.
    I have also asked DCI George Tenet to 
review the recommendations made by Admiral Jeremiah on intelligence collection and resources and to act 
promptly on these recommendations.