[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 3 (Monday, January 22, 2001)]
[Page 178]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Letter to Congressional Leaders Reporting a Certification Required by 
the Ratification Resolution of the Chemical Weapons Convention

January 17, 2001

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 
      applications; 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 of January 
18.