On February 22, 1996, Dr. John Deutch, the Director of Central Intelligence , testified before the Senate Select Committee
on Intelligence . Director Deutch confirmed earlier reports that Pakistan had taken delivery of sensitive nuclear technology
used to develop weapons-grade uranium. He also confirmed that Pakistan had received M-11 ballistic missiles from China.
209.207.236.112
Also has the Wash.Times artice by Bill Gertz.
CHINESE NUCLEAR MISSILES IN PAKISTAN (Senate - June 12, 1996)
[Page: S6139]
Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, last year the Clinton administration asked Congress for the authority to allow United States
military equipment to be delivered to Pakistan. Since 1990, such deliveries were not allowed because of a 1985 law known as
the Pressler amendment, which prohibited any United States Assistance to Pakistan if the President failed to certify Pakistan
was not in possession of a nuclear explosive device. My colleagues may recall that we debated this issue quite extensively. It
was very controversial. In the end, despite strong opposition from this Senator and many of my colleagues, the Senate
approved the so-called Brown amendment, which authorized the transfer of military equipment and repealed the Pressler
amendment's prohibitions on nonmilitary aid to Pakistan. The Brown amendment became law earlier this year.
To bolster the Clinton administration's request, Under Secretary of State Peter Tarnoff sent a letter to Members of Congress
on August 3, 1995, when the Senate first debated the Brown amendment. Secretary Tarnoff attempted to assure Senators that
the administration's support of the Brown amendment would be conditional on `no significant change on nuclear and missile
non-proliferation issues of concern to the United States.'
Mr. President, that was then.
On February 22, 1996, Dr. John Deutch, the Director of Central Intelligence , testified before the Senate Select Committee
on Intelligence . Director Deutch confirmed earlier reports that Pakistan had taken delivery of sensitive nuclear technology
used to develop weapons-grade uranium. He also confirmed that Pakistan had received M-11 ballistic missiles from China. My
colleagues will recall that when we debated the Brown amendment, there was some dispute over whether Pakistan had in fact
taken delivery of the M-11 missiles. Director Deutch's testimony was the first time a Clinton administration official publicly
confirmed the existence of the M-11s. In my view, this development should have halted the delivery of the military equipment to
Pakistan. Unfortunately, the Clinton Administration did not consider the acquisition of this nuclear technology to be, in
Secretary Tarnoff's words, a `significant change on nuclear and missile non-proliferation issues of concern to the United States.'
Mr. President, this morning's Washington Times reveals that Pakistan has done more than just take possession of the M-11's.
The Times reported that the M-11 missiles in Pakistan are operational and nuclear capable. If this account is accurate, and I
have no reason to doubt it, Pakistan now has a complete, modern, nuclear weapons delivery system.
Mr. President, first of all, in spite of a string of pious promises and written agreements to the United States, China has
demonstrated a severe lack of international responsibility. By providing both nuclear technology and the means to deliver
nuclear weapons, Chinese Government-owned companies have contributed to a vast escalation of tensions between Pakistan
and India. Director Deutch has pointed to the Indian subcontinent as the most worrisome area in the world. He's right.
The more immediate question, Mr. President, is what is the United States going to do? At the time the Senate approved the
Brown amendment, we were of the belief that Pakistan did not possess both the technology to produce weapons-grade
uranium, and an
operational nuclear weapons delivery system. That was then. This is now. I do not believe the Senate would have approved the
Brown amendment had we known then what we know now.
The Washington Times also reported that State Department officials attempted to water down or alter the intelligence reports
regarding the M-11's, and also tried to prevent these reports from moving through normal intelligence channels. Apparently
this was done to prevent sanctions from being enforced. This is a very serious allegation. In effect, Federal officials are being
accused of blocking the law from being enforced.
Frankly, Mr. President, the Washington Times story is astounding. It is no secret that I am an outspoken critic of the Clinton
administration's nuclear nonproliferation policy, or lack thereof. Before today, I never thought the administration's credibility
regarding nonproliferation goals in South Asia could get worse. I was wrong.
I have written to President Clinton, asking that he enforce the nonproliferation laws he has sworn to uphold. I also have asked
the President to withhold delivery of any military equipment authorized by the Brown amendment. Clearly, the conditions the
Clinton administration made to Pakistan for its support of the Brown amendment have been violated to a degree unimaginable. I
also intend to contact the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence , Senator Specter, to request that the
committee conduct a full investigation on the allegations raised involving the blocking or altering of intelligence reports by State
Department officials. Finally, I intend to continue seeking the support of my colleagues to repeal the Brown amendment, and
may offer an amendment to do just that in the near future. I think we have more than enough evidence to demonstrate why the
Brown amendment should not have been passed. In my view, Congress was badly misled last year relative to Pakistan's
nuclear arms development and delivery capability. My bill, which already has several cosponsors, would restore the supremacy
of our nuclear nonproliferation laws.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that my letter of today to President Clinton and a Washington Times article by Bill
Gertz be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC, June 12, 1996.
The President,
The White House,
Washington, DC.
[Page: S6140]
Dear Mr. President: A story in today's Washington Times reported that the U.S. intelligence community has determined
that Pakistan obtained M-11 ballistic missiles from the People's Republic of China (PRC) as part of an illegal conspiracy to
evade national international arms control agreements. Even more disturbing, the Times reported that these nuclear capable
missiles have been deployed by Pakistan.
If these reports are true, I strongly urge you to enforce the law and impose sanctions on both countries to the fullest extent of
the law. Further, I urge you to withhold from delivering to Pakistan any U.S. equipment as provided in the so-called Brown
amendment to the Fiscal Year 1996 Foreign Operations Appropriations Act.
As you know, the United States has sought for a number of years to put an end to illegal missile transfers originating in the
PRC. As you well know, sanctions were imposed on China just three years ago for transferring M-11 components in violation
of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). Those sanctions were lifted in 1994, after the PRC pledged not to make
future deliveries of missiles or related components listed under the MTCR.
Last year, the New York Times and Defense News reported that Pakistan had received M-11 missiles from the PRC. This
was confirmed by Central Intelligence Agency Director John Deutch in his testimony before the Senate Intelligence
Committee on February 22, 1996.
These are troubling developments. We face a situation in which the PRC has violated both a multinational missile control
agreement as well as a written non-proliferation agreement with the United States. As a result of these violations, Pakistan now
has for the first time a strategic nuclear delivery capability.
Again, if the reports are true, I see no recourse but to impose sanctions on both Pakistan and the PRC. Our own credibility as
a world leader in nuclear non-proliferation requires no less.
Our credibility also requires that we take additional action: the withholding of any U.S. military equipment authorized for
delivery under the so-called Brown amendment. Last August, when
the Brown amendment was first considered in the Senate, Under Secretary of State Peter Tarnoff stated that your
Administration's support for the Brown amendment would be conditional on `no significant change on nuclear and missile
non-proliferation issues of concern to the United States.'
At the time Secretary Tarnoff made this statement, Congress and the Administration were of the belief that Pakistan did not
have both the nuclear technology capable of processing enriched uranium, and an operational system of ballistic missiles
capable of delivering a nuclear payload. Clearly, the conditions set by your Administration have been violated by Pakistan to a
degree unimaginable.
Finally, I believe Congress was misled badly last year relative to Pakistan's arms development and delivery capability. Earlier
this year, I wrote to you expressing my concern that members of your Administration knew that Pakistan was obtaining illicit
nuclear technology from the PRC while the Brown amendment was pending. I am equally concerned with allegations raised in
the Washington Times article that members of your Administration may have attempted to alter the content or the processing of
intelligence reports in order to avoid sanctions. This is a very serious allegation, and I have requested that the Senate
Intelligence Committee conduct a thorough review of this matter.
Mr. President, you and I have not always agreed with the best course of action on nuclear non-proliferation, particularly in
South Asia. I am sure you will agree with me that if the Washington Times story is true, we have reached a very dangerous
stage in an already very unstable part of the world. It has always been our policy to other nations that nuclear proliferation
should carry a heavy price. It is imperative to the peace and security of all the peoples of South Asia that this policy be
enforced.
For these reasons, I strongly urge you to enforce fully our nation's non-proliferations laws, and honor the conditions set forth
last year by withholding any future implementation of the Brown amendment.
Thank you for your attention to this very critical nonproliferation issue.
Sincerely,
Larry Pressler,
U.S. Senator. |
