[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 18 (Monday, May 4, 1998)]
[Pages 734-735]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Congress on 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 
      chemicals and their precursors, dual-use processing equipment, 
      human, animal and plant pathogens and toxins

[[Page 735]]

      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.