    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [March 20, 2000]
    [Pages 494-495]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Congress Transmitting the Proposed Extension of the
    Bangladesh-United States Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation Agreement
    March 20, 2000

    To the Congress of the United States:
        I am pleased to transmit to the Congress, pursuant to sections 123
    b. and 123 d. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (42 U.S.C.
    2153 (b), (d)) (the Act), the text of a proposed Agreement Between the
    United States of America and the People's Republic of Bangladesh to
    extend the Agreement for Cooperation Between the United States of
    America and the People's Republic of Bangladesh Concerning Peaceful Uses
    of Nuclear Energy signed at Dhaka, September 17, 1981 (the Agreement for
    Cooperation).
        The proposed Agreement to extend the Agreement for Cooperation (the
    ``Extension Agreement'') was originally approved and its execution
    authorized by President Bush based on his written determination that the
    performance of the Agreement for Cooperation for an additional period of
    20 years would promote, and would not constitute an unreasonable risk
    to, the common defense and security. A copy of President Bush's written
    approval, authorization, and determination is enclosed. Also enclosed is
    a copy of the unclassified Nuclear Proliferation Assessment Statement
    (NPAS) prepared at that time by the Director, United States Arms Control
    and Disarmament Agency.
        The proposed Extension Agreement was effected by an exchange of
    diplomatic notes at Dhaka on January 5, 1993, and February 6, 1993. The
    terms of the Extension Agreement condition its entry into force on each
    State notifying the other of the completion of its respective legal
    requirements for entry into force. However, before the proposed
    Extension Agreement could be submitted to the Congress in 1993 for
    review pursuant to section 123 of the Act, the Government of Bangladesh
    asked to consult with the United States regarding a possible
    modification of the term of extension. These discussions proved to be
    very protracted, but both Governments have now agreed that their
    original intention to extend the Agreement for Cooperation for an
    additional period of 20 years from the date of the original Agreement's
    expiration (i.e., to extend it until June 24, 2012) should stand, and
    that the Extension Agreement should be brought into force as soon as
    each Party has notified the other in writing that it has completed its
    legal requirements for doing so.

    [[Page 495]]

        Section 123 of the Act, as amended by Title XII of the Foreign
    Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-277) now
    also provides that each Nuclear Proliferation Assessment Statement
    prepared pursuant to the Act shall be accompanied by a classified annex
    prepared by the Secretary of State in consultation with the Director of
    Central Intelligence, summarizing relevant classified information. The
    Secretary of State is submitting to the Congress under separate cover
    such a classified annex. It contains, inter alia, the Secretary of
    State's reaffirmation of the conclusions reached in the original
    unclassified Nuclear Proliferation Assessment Statement (a) that
    continued implementation of the Agreement for Cooperation is consistent
    with all requirements of the Act, and (b) that the safeguards and other
    control mechanisms and the peaceful-use assurances contained in the
    Agreement for Cooperation are adequate to ensure that any assistance
    furnished under it will not be used to further any military or nuclear
    explosive purpose.
        I am pleased to reconfirm President Bush's approval of the Extension
    Agreement and authorization of its execution and implementation.
    Bangladesh is a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
    Weapons (NPT) and is fully in compliance with its nuclear
    nonproliferation commitments under that Treaty. In my judgment,
    continued performance of the Agreement for Cooperation between the
    United States of America and the People's Republic of Bangladesh
    Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy will promote, and not
    constitute an unreasonable risk to, the common defense and security.
    Apart from the proposed extension, the Agreement for Cooperation will
    remain in all other respects the same as that which was favorably
    reviewed by the Congress in 1982. The Department of State, the
    Department of Energy, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission have
    reconfirmed their favorable views regarding the original NPAS as well as
    the conclusions contained herein.
        This transmission shall constitute a submittal for purposes of both
    sections 123 b. and 123 d. of the Act. My Administration is prepared to
    begin immediately the consultations with the Senate Foreign Relations
    Committee and the House International Relations Committee as provided in
    section 123 b. Upon completion of the period of 30 days of continuous
    session provided for in section 123 b., the period of 60 days of
    continuous session provided for in section 123 d. shall commence.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    March 20, 2000.