    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 51 (Monday, December 27, 1999)]
    [Page 2665]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Letter to Congressional Leaders Transmitting a Report on Chemical
    Weapons

    December 22, 1999

    Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. President:)

        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 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.

        Sincerely,
                                                William J. Clinton

    Note: Identical letters were sent to J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the
    House of Representatives, and Albert Gore, Jr., President of the Senate:
    This letter was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    December 23.