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abolition-usa-digest       Monday, July 17 2000       Volume 01 : Number 342




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Date: Sun, 16 Jul 2000 14:11:45 EDT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: (abolition-usa) Missile Control Regime: Letter to New York Times

New York Times, Letters, July 15, 2000

Missile Shield: A National Priority?

To the Editor:

Re "A Better Way to Build a Missile Defense," by Richard Perle (Op-Ed, July
13):

Mr. Perle asserts that an effective missile shield can be built. Others
assert that the threat of retaliation by the United States is sufficient to
deter attacks. Both approaches are morally abhorrent because they plan for
the possibility of fighting a war with nuclear missiles. There is a third
option: Eliminate the capability to launch missile attacks through
development of a global missile control system.

Russia has made proposals for missile nonproliferation and monitoring that
point toward such a system. North Korea is observing a moratorium on
long-range missile tests. A global missile flight test ban would be an
excellent first step toward real security based on eliminating the threat of
missile attack rather than deterring or defending against it.

JOHN BURROUGHS
Executive Director, Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy
New York, July 13, 2000


            John Burroughs, Executive Director
            Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy
            211 E. 43d St., Suite 1204
            New York, New York 10017 USA
            tel: [phone] fax: [phone]
            e-mail: [e-mail]
            website: www.lcnp.org
            Part of the Abolition 2000 Global
            Network to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons

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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2000 12:47:06 +1000
From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Press release and Letters to Defence Secy Cohen and Downer re NMD

Dear All,

Defence Sectetary William S. Cohen is currently in the fair city of Sydney.

Australian peace and environment groups, as well as the Wayside Chapel and
parliamentarians Carmen Lawrence and Senator Lyn Allison have written to
him to express their opposition to NMD.

If you would like to let defence secretary Cohen know what you think about
NMD, otherwise known as 'Star Wars', we urge you to do so.

His fax number in Sydney is 61-2-9221-0551.
His fax number at the Penatagon is [phone].

You may be able to fax him in Sydney if you do so immediately.

Otherwise, you may be able to fax him at the pentagon - if you are using
your own fax a single A4 page fax is still about a dollar.

W'e like also to suggest that you fax our foreign minister Downer
immediately and ask him to convey the concern of ordinary Australians over
NMD/Star Wars.

In the last weeks, 50 US Nobel Prizewinners have asked Clinton not to
proceed with NMD, the Australian Senate voted against NMD on 29th June, and
last thursday, the foreign ministers of the G8 expressed concern over NMD,
and expressed support for the ABM treaty, which NMD violates.



IMMEDIATE USE
AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE
ANTI-BASES CAMPAIGN
FRIENDS OF THE EARTH
AUSTRALIAN GROUPS SAY NO TO MISSILE DEFENCE

Australian  organizations and parliamentarians have sent letters to the US
Secretary of Defence William S. Cohen and to Foreign Minister Downer,
urging the US not to proceed with the controversial  National Missile
Defence scheme.(NMD) Defence Secretary Cohen is today engaged in talks with
Downer and defence minister John Moore at HMAS Kuttubul in Sydney.

A  well-attended demonstration took place yesterday against Defence
Secretary Cohen outside the US consulate, attended by members of peace
groups, and  the Serbian and Iraqi communities.

On 29th June, the Australian Senate passed a motion which urged the US not
to proceed with NMD. At a meeting last Thursday in Japan, G8 foreign
ministers signaled that they were  extremely unhappy with US plans to
proceed with NMD, and immediately before the NMD test last weekend, 50 US
Nobel prizewinners wrote to President Clinton to ask him not to proceed
with NMD.

The letters from Australian organizations to Cohen and Downer on NMD have
been signed by Senator Lyn Allison of the Australian Democrats, Dr. Carmen
Lawrence of the ALP and MLC Lee Rhiannon of the Greens as well as the
Wayside Chapel, The Australian Peace Committee, the Anti-Bases Campaign,
People for Nuclear Disarmament, (NSW and W.A.,) Pax Christi, the Australian
Conservation Foundation and Friends of the Earth Australia.

The letters draw the attention of Defence Secretary Cohen and Foreign
Minister Downer to the 29June Senate motion, call on Cohen not to proceed
with NMD but instead to move to the early implementation of the START-II
agreement and the negotiation of a START-III agreement with the lowest
possible warhead numbers, and urge the US and Russia to maintain the
integrity of the ABM treaty.  They urge foreign minister Downer to make the
strongest possible representations to secretary Cohen on the issue.

Contact: John Hallam, [phone] h(02) 9810-2598
Irene Gale AM, 08-8364-2291
Hannah Middleton, Anti-Bases 0411-409-954
Dennis Doherty, Anti-Bases, 0418-290-663



FRIENDS OF THE EARTH AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE SA,
AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE SYDNEY
AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE S. COAST
PAX CHRISTI NSW
SYDNEY ANTI-BASES COALITION
PEOPLE FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT W.A.,
PEOPLE FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT NSW,
WAYSIDE CHAPEL KINGS CROSS,
AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION
SENATOR LYN ALLISON
DR CARMEN LAWRENCE, MHR,
LEE RHIANNON MLC (NSW),

RE: NMD

WILLIAM S. COHEN, DEFENCE SECRETARY, UNITED STATES, [phone]
(C/O DON Q WASHINGTON 9221-0551)
cc
Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer
02-6273-4112, 08-8370-8166, 6261-2151.
US EMBASSY CANBERRA, 02-6214-5970,6214-5930
US CONSULATE SYDNEY 9373-9125

Dear Defence Secretary Cohen,
We are writing in view of your  trip to Australia.

We understand the subject of NMD formed part of your discussions in Beijing.

The organizations named above, and signed below, wish to point out that the
Australian Senate on 29th June, passed a motion in which it called on your
country:

1)Not to deploy a National Missile Defence (NMD) system.

2)Called on the US and Russia to proceed with the early implementation  and
entry into force of START-II and negotiation of START-III as soon as
possible,

3)Called on you to outline how you will implement the final document of the
NPT Review Conference requirement that nuclear weapons play a diminishing
role in security policies,

4)Urged the US and Russia to maintain the integrity of the ABM treaty.

The failure last Saturday of the NMD test, indicates that an NMD system
cannot make a positive contribution to the security of the US or its allies
including Australia.

Concern over the possible deployment of NMD has been expressed by the UN
Secretary General, Russia, China, the European Union, France, Germany,
Sweden, and Non-Aligned Movement and the New Agenda Coalition. 50 US Nobel
prizewinners including some of the most respected names in Physics, have
urged you not to proceed with NMD.

Accordingly we too, urge you to take note of the Australian Senate
resolution and not to proceed with NMD.

Signed:
John Hallam, Friends of the Earth Australia
Irene Gale AM, Australian Peace Committee SA., Adelaide
Babs Fuller- Quinn, Coordinator, Australian Peace Committee Sydney,
Doreen Borrow, Australian Peace Committee South Coast,
Jack Forward,  Central Coast Peace Forum,
Dennis Doherty, Pax Christi New South Wales,
Hannah Middleton, Sydney Anti-Bases Coalition,
Jo Vallentine, People for Nuclear Disarmament Western Australia,
Morrie Mifsud, People for Nuclear Disarmament NSW.,
Pauline Mitchell, Secy., Campaign for International Cooperation and
Disarmament,(CICD) Melbourne,
Reverend Ray Richmond, Wayside Chapel, Kings Cross,
Dave Sweeney, Nuclear Campaigner, Australian Conservation Foundation,
Dr Carmen Lawrence, MHR, Federal Member for Fremantle, W.A.,
Senator Lyn Allison, Democrat Senator for Victoria,
Lee Rhiannon MLC, Greens NSW,


FRIENDS OF THE EARTH AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE S.A.,
AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE SYDNEY
SOUTH COAST PEACE COMMITTEE
CENTRAL COAST PEACE FORUM
PAX CHRISTI NSW
SYDNEY ANTI-BASES COALITION
PEOPLE FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT W.A.,
PEOPLE FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT NSW
AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION
WAYSIDE CHAPEL(KINGS CROSS)
SENATOR LYN ALLISON
DR CARMEN LAWRENCE, MHR
LEE RHIANNON MLC (NSW),


ATTN ALEXANDER DOWNER
02-6273-4112,  08-8370-8166
CC
DFAT, 02-6261-2151
SENATOR LYN ALLISON, 02-6277-3087
SENATOR MEG LEES, 02-8295-8911
LAURIE BRERETON 9349-8089

RE: VISIT OF US DEFENCE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN

Dear Alexander Downer,

The organizations named above and signed below are writing with respect to
the imminent visit of US Secretary for Defence, William S. Cohen, to urge
you to make the strongest possible expressions of concern with respect to
US proposals to deploy a National Missile Defence (NMD) system, which when
tested over last weekend, failed completely.

National Missile Defence has been criticized as being at the same time,
both ineffective, probably physically impossible, and at the same time
destabilizing.

Expressions of strong concern over it have been made at the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference in New York, by UN secretary
General Kofi Annan, by the European Union, France, Germany, Sweden,
Portugal, by the Non-Aligned Movement, by the New Agenda Coalition, and
others.

Russia has threatened that if the US violates the ABM treaty, as deployment
of NMD would, it will 'tear up' arms control agreements to date. China will
almost certainly greatly increase the size of its currently minimal nuclear
deterrent force if NMD is deployed. Both these developments will lead the
world back to nuclear arms- racing.

Within the US, 50 US Nobel prizewinners (Half the Nobel prizewinners in the
US) have written to President Clinton to ask that NMD not proceed. The
American Physical Society, the top physics body in the US, has expressed
the almost unanimous opinion that NMD as proposed is physically impossible.

The Australian Senate on 29th June, passed a motion calling on the US not
to proceed with NMD.

It called for:

1)The US Not to deploy a National Missile Defence (NMD) system.

2)Called on the US and Russia to proceed with the early implementation  and
entry into force of START-II and negotiation of START-III as soon as
possible,

3)Called on nuclear weapons states to outline how they will implement the
final document of the NPT Review Conference requirement that nuclear
weapons play a diminishing role in security policies,

4)Urged the US and Russia to maintain the integrity of the ABM treaty.

In view of both the clearly destabilizing effects of the deployment of NMD
and of its highly problematic technical aspects which mean that it will
make no contribution (or a negative one) to the security of either the US
or US allies including Australia, we urge you to make the very strongest
representations to defence Secretary Cohen when he visits this coming
weekend.

Signed
John Hallam, Friends of the Earth Australia,
Irene Gale AM, Australian Peace Committee SA,
Babs Fuller-Quinn, Coordinator, Australian Peace Committee Sydney,
Doreen Borrow, Coordinator, South Coast Peace Committee,
George Gotsis, Coordinator, Greek Peace Committee, Sydney,
Jack Forward, Central Coast Peace Forum,
Reverend Ray Richmond, Wayside Chapel, Kings Cross, Sydney.,
Dennis Doherty, Pax Christi New South Wales,
Hannah Middleton, Sydney Anti-Bases Coalition,
Jo Vallentine, People for Nuclear Disarmament Western Australia,
Pauline Mitchell, Secy., Campaign for International Cooperation and
Disarmament, Melbourne,
Dave Sweeney, Nuclear Campaigner, Australian Conservation Foundation,
Senator Lyn Allison, Democrat Senator for Victoria,
Dr Carmen Lawrence, MHR, Federal Member for Fremantle,(W.A.),
Lee Rhiannon MLC, Greens, NSW.,



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 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2000 16:59:52 +1000
From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) William Cohen interview in Sydney

The following interview was given by US defence secy Cohen to Laurie Oakes,
a respected but very conservative reporter, in the Intercontinental Hotel
in Sydney.

John Hallam


William Cohen, US Secretary of Defence
July 16, 192000
Reporter - Laurie Oakes


American Defense Secretary William Cohen is in Australia this weekend for
talks with our Defence and Foreign Ministers.

Secretary Cohen has just flown in from China, where there's major disquiet
about America's pursuit of Ronald Reagan's dream - a Star Wars missile
defence system. There are concerns the move could lead to a new arms race in
our own region, prompting not just China but India and Pakistan to build up
their missile stocks. Also on the agenda, the new instability in the South
Pacific.

Secretary Cohen joined us this morning from his Sydney hotel to talk with
Sunday's Political Editor, Laurie Oakes.

TRANSCRIPT:

LAURIE OAKES - REPORTER: Mr Cohen, welcome to Australia and to the program.

WILLIAM COHEN - US DEFENSE SECRETARY: A pleasure to be here.

REPORTER: So, one of the things the Australian government is hoping you'll
brief them on is Star Wars Two, the proposed national missile defence
shield. How likely is that to go ahead now?

COHEN: Well, President Clinton has not yet made a decision as to whether we
should actually deploy such a system, but I think the characterisation in
the lead-in to this discussion is in error. This is not Ronald Reagan's Star
Wars, this is something far more limited in nature, and it's designed to
provide a limited amount of protection against a limited type of attack
coming from nations such as North Korea, Iran, potentially Iraq, and others.


And so, it is not the Star Wars that's been described or that Ronald Reagan
had in mind back in the 1980s, it's something far more limited in nature and
something that I think is quite necessary, given today's spread of
technology.

REPORTER: Well, you mention Iran. They've just tested successfully the
second time their Shahab-3 missile, capable of hitting countries in the
Middle East. Israel says that will give them nuclear capability by 2005.
Will that spur you on with this project?

COHEN: Well, this is exactly one of the things that is most troublesome. We
have tried to point out that it's not ... this system is not aimed at
Russia, is not aimed at China, it is aimed to protect the American people
against a capability by nations such as Iran, Iraq, and North Korea and
others.

Again, we have to go through the four criteria that President Clinton has
set forth. What is the nature of the threat? What is the level of maturation
of our technology? What are the costs? And what are the implications for
overall arms control? And that's something that I'm examining, Secretary of
State Albright will examine, and we will make a recommendation to the
President taking into account all four factors.

REPORTER: Now, did the Chinese leaders that you've been speaking to accept
that explanation, accept it as not a threat to China?

COHEN: No, they are in disagreement on this issue. We have taken the
opportunity of my visit to try to point out the nature of the system and why
it's important that they also share in the effort to cut down on the
proliferation of technology. They too will find themselves in a situation
where nations that might have hostile intents toward China could have this
capability. So, there's an interest on their part in curbing the
proliferation of missile technology, weapons of mass destruction,
biological, chemical and indeed even nuclear.

REPORTER: No, it's not just China and Russia that are against this and
regard it as potentially destabilising, starting an arms race. The
Canadians, the Germans have also been critical. I guess you're relieved then
that the Australian government is supporting you in this.

COHEN: We are very pleased that the Australian government has been
supportive of the research development. They have made no decision on the
deployment, but they understand the nature of the threat that US citizens
will face in the future when countries such as Iran have a long range
missile capability, capable of threatening the United States and impeding
our effort to provide for stability and peace throughout many parts of the
world.

REPORTER: It's true, isn't it, that if this goes ahead the joint facilities
in Australia, particularly Pine Gap, would be involved in detecting missile
launches?

COHEN: They could very much be involved in terms of providing the kind of
radar capability that will be necessary for any effective NMD program. No
decision, of course, has been made on that but it could play a role.

REPORTER: Now there is talk about an extended version of this system called
TMD - Theatre Missile Defense - which, I understand, could put a protective
shield not only around continental US but also around particular regions.
Would that be used to protect allies like Australia?

COHEN: Well, the Theatre Missile Defense system is more limited in nature
and is designed to protect our forces that are forward deployed. We have
talked on a level with various countries in terms of having their
cooperation. Japan, for example, has provided some research and development
contributions to a Theatre Missile Defense system.

But this is going to be certainly available to our allies and our friends
who wish to share in this type of program, but that is somewhere down the
line. It is not as immediate, in terms of the technology, as the National
Missile Defense system is, but is something that we are exploring with a
variety of countries and certainly Australia would be a country that we'd be
very interested in cooperating with.

REPORTER: So ultimately, this could be used to protect Australian forces
too?

COHEN: Absolutely.

REPORTER: The leaders you met in China, are you now quite confident that
they accept there should be no attempt to use armed force to regain Taiwan?

COHEN: Well, what the Chinese leadership has said that they reserve the
right to use force, although they indicated they have no intent to use force
against Taiwan. And my message was that it's very important that they pursue
every diplomatic opportunity. New leadership in Taiwan, I believe there has
been some flexibility demonstrated by the new President of Taiwan. They
should seek ways to be creative in their own thinking to bring about a
reconciliation on a peaceful basis because the use of military force would
certainly have some pretty grave consequences.

REPORTER: I raise that because of comments made last year by Richard
Armitage, I guess, as the one Republican in the Democrat administration
you'd know him. He advises George W Bush, the Republican candidate, and used
to advise his father, I think. Did you read his comments where he said that
Australia has a role in preventing Beijing from using military force against
Taiwan, and Australia must stand ready to give military support to
Washington if the US goes to war with China?

COHEN: Well, I didn't read his comments on that. I might point out that Mr
Armitage is only one of George W Bush's advisers. There are quite a few
others. But the fact is that Australia has always been supportive of the
United States, certainly during the twentieth century. In every conflict
that we've been involved, Australia's been side-by-side with the United
States.

This does not, of course, commit Australia to anything in the future but we
have a very strong bilateral relationship with Australia. We treasure it. I
have now visited Australia three times as Secretary of Defense. I've visited
China only twice, France once, Great Britain once, and so it shows you that
we value very much the role that Australia plays in helping to maintain
peace and stability throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

REPORTER: I am interested, though, in finding out how generally held these
views are. Mr Armitage said that Australia can't pick and choose, if tension
in the Taiwan Strait led to war between the US and China, Washington would
expect Australia to contribute to and I quote "the dirty, hard and dangerous
work".

Now, is that how you see it, and do you think it's how George W Bush sees
it?

COHEN: Well, I again ... I don't know that Mr Armitage speaks for George W
Bush. These are his own views.

REPORTER: Yes.

COHEN: We would look to Australia in any type of conflict that we have been
involved for their partnership and share in the responsibility of providing
peace and stability throughout the Asia-Pacific region. I would point out
that they have been, again, engaged in every conflict that we have had.

They are now helping to really provide intercept operations in the Persian
Gulf. They have been most supportive in the Fiji and Solomon Islands
disputes and unrest in these two areas. But more specifically, I want to
praise Australia for the leadership role it has taken in dealing with East
Timor. This was something very important to maintaining stability in the
region and Australia deserves a great deal of credit for that.

REPORTER: Well, how concerned is the US about the instability, the
apparently growing instability, in this region? Is it of strategic
importance to the United States?

COHEN: Well, certainly, the southern part of the Pacific is of great
strategic importance and that's why we look to Australia as the key anchor
of our policy and our goals. But the instability, I think, has to be
measured against what took place a year or two ago. We see more stability.
We look at what has taken place in Korea as far as the summit that occurred.
We look at East Timor, which is certainly in far better shape this year than
it was last year.

And so there still pockets of instability but that's precisely the reason
why, I think, your Prime Minister and Defence Minister are now looking at
ways in which they can strengthen their own military capability to be able
to respond to crises and to operate well with the United States to have
interoperable equipment to share tactics and doctrine and strategies. This
is something that's very important for maintaining stability in the entire
region.

REPORTER: You just said, I think, that Australia is seen by the US as, sort
of, anchor for its policy in the region. What do you think of the
description of Australia perhaps being a kind of deputy to the US when it
comes to peacekeeping in the region?

COHEN: I don't think that's the case at all. I think that Australia has its
own foreign policy. It tends to coincide with our own objectives of
promoting stability so there can be prosperity. But Australia is by no means
subordinate to the United States. We talk, we cooperate, we discuss, but
Australia has its own sovereign policies. Hopefully, they will continue to
be consistent with our objective of promoting peace and stability and
prosperity throughout the Asia Pacific region.

REPORTER: And do you think the role Australia played in East Timor provides
any sort of a precedent for the way we should behave in the region? Should
we fulfill this sort of role in other places?

COHEN: Well, I think that Australia must decide that for itself but it will
have to pick and choose and be selective where it is engaged, and to put its
priority in those areas that pose the greatest threat to instability. It by
no means should be a precedent but it does show what kind of capability
Australia should have and maintain, and to be able to deal with such crises
as that presented by East Timor in the past year.

REPORTER: Could I ask you specifically about Fiji, where a nation has
capitulated to tourist and hostage-takers. Is the US going to react to that
to try to help restore democracy?

COHEN: Well, we certainly are concerned about what has taken place in Fiji.
We can look to Australia for leadership, in terms of what kind of action and
reaction should be taken, and we will cooperate very much in coordinating
the kind of response that will be important to restoring democracy to Fiji.

REPORTER: Are you thinking in terms of sanctions and will you be discussing
that with Mr Moore tomorrow?

COHEN: Well, we will discuss what Australia think to be the best policy to
pursue. I think that Australia, being closer ... much closer to the
situation, that we can perhaps work together. But we will look to Australia
to give us some advice in terms of how this should be handled as well.

REPORTER: And what about Indonesia? The tension between Australia and
Indonesia doesn't seem to be abating, following our intervention in East
Timor. Is that of concern to the US?

COHEN: It may take some time but I think that this relationship can be
repaired and should be repaired. The United States, of course, discontinued
our military relationship with Indonesia, we are now starting to re-engage
Indonesia on a step by step basis, looking for ways in which we can have a
sharing of information, having the military attend conferences, trying to
rebuild the relationship in the future. But this is something that's
important to Indonesia - it's very important - and I believe over a period
of time the relationship between Indonesia and Australia will improve.

REPORTER: Now, one of the things that Mr Moore wants to discuss with you, I
gather, and I think you mentioned it, is the degree of access Australia has
given to the latest US defence technology. Will we be given favoured
treatment so that we can maintain our technological edge over other military
forces in the region?

COHEN: One of the concerns the United States has had with many of our allies
that there is a growing technological gap. We want to close that gap and we
have proposed changing our export laws as they pertain to the sharing of
technology. We had Australia very much in mind in proposing this change in
modification of our own laws.

Australia and Japan are NATO allies, but Australia is very high on the list
and we believe that the signing of a declaration of principles while I am
here, during this visit, will be important in helping to close that gap.

REPORTER: Now, for us to close that gap, to invest in more modern equipment,
will obviously involve more spending. I gather that both parties in
Washington are concerned that Australia has allowed its military spending to
decline.

COHEN: Well, the Prime Minister of course and the Defense Minister have
recently issued a paper which indicates that Australia itself believes that
defence spending should increase.

Yes, there will have to be additional investment if Australia hopes to
maintain a modern interoperable force with the United States and other
allies. And so this is a requirement on all of our allies. We have become
concerned about many of our NATO allies, who continue to talk about
modernisation of their forces and yet we see declining defence budgets.

It's going to be very hard to reconcile that and that's the reason why I've
urged all of them to look at their forces, but to also look to increase
their defence spending so that there will not be a growing gap between the
United States' capability and that of our allies. So that if joint action is
required, we will not have a mismatch in capability and with negative
consequences.

REPORTER: A couple of quick issues. Could I have your assessment of the
terrorist threat to the Sydney Olympic Games?

COHEN: Well, it's hard for me to make such an assessment. I think any time
you have a gathering, a world class gathering of sports types of activities,
that there's always an attraction there for groups, or individuals, who
would seek to destroy the purpose of the Olympics themselves. I think you
have to be on guard, I'm satisfied there will be extraordinary security
precautions taken, much as there have been in other parts of the world where
these are held.

REPORTER: And are you confident that Australia's forces are up to the task?

COHEN: Oh, I think Australian forces will be more than up to the task.

REPORTER: Now, have you had any word on progress in the Middle East talks in
Washington?

COHEN: Oh, it continues to be a very vigorous discussion and dialogue at
Camp David. I can't report any progress that has not already been reported
on the national news.

REPORTER: A final issue, you mentioned North Korea. Has the threat from
North Korea subsided? Do you still class it as a rogue state?

COHEN: Go ahead, I'm sorry.

REPORTER: And ... I was going to add, there've been talks between the US and
North Korea about the missile program. What progress there?

COHEN: Well, they have so far suspended the actual testing of ... flight
testing of the missiles, but their testing at sub-levels still continues. We
have to be concerned about that, but we are very encouraged by the summit
that occurred. But we cannot afford to drop our guard, or have the South
Koreans drop their guard, until such times as we see how this is going to
unfold in the future. A very good sign, we have to see what the follow
through is going to be and in the meantime we have to maintain vigilance.

REPORTER: But do you see a light at the end of the tunnel? Do you see the
day when American forces will be pulled out of Korea?

COHEN: Well, that, as President Kim of South Korea has indicated, even if
there should be some kind of a unification, a federation, confederation,
whatever the ultimate solution is going to be, that they would ... that
President Kim would anticipate that American forces would remain there, at
whatever level will be determined in the future. But he foresees a time when
we will have a presence there for the indefinite future, so that we can help
maintain stability throughout the Asia Pacific region.

REPORTER: Mr Cohen, we thank you.

COHEN: Thank you very much.

ENDS.

Transcript provided by Rehame Australia.



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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2000 10:27:30 -0700 (PDT)
From: [e-mail] (marylia)
Subject: (abolition-usa) New Report/Alternatives to Stockpile Stewardship/Events

Dear peace and environmental colleagues:

Tri-Valley CAREs is extremely pleased to announce the release of an
important, new report -- "Managing the U.S. Nuclear Weapons Stockpile: A
Comparison of Five Strategies," by Dr. Robert Civiak. This study is the
first comprehensive analysis of the DOE's Stockpile Stewardship program and
its alternatives. It is now available on our website at
http://www.igc.org/tvc, or by mail.

Below, please find the media advisory for our press conference Thursday
afternoon, July 20, at the national press club in Washington, DC. You will
also find information about a Friday morning, July 21, roundtable for
non-governmental organizations on the report and its recommendations. If
you are in DC, please attend. Additionally, Dr. Civiak and I will be
meeting with various agencies regarding the report and its recommendations.


Peace, Marylia         Read on ...

* media advisory *
for further information, contact
Marylia Kelley, [phone]

                        MORE U.S. SECURITY FOR LESS COST

WHAT:           News Conference to release a major new study, "Managing the
U.S. Nuclear Weapons Stockpile: A Comparison of Five Strategies," providing
the first comprehensive review of alternatives to the Dept. of Energy's
(DOE) controversial Stockpile Stewardship program. The study compares five
different options for maintaining the U.S. arsenal and concludes that three
provide substantially more security for billions less. The three are: the
Remanufacturing Option at $3.9 billion/yr., the Curatorship Option at $2.7
billion/yr. and the Passive Arms Reduction Option at $1.7 billion/yr. These
three stand in stark contrast to the current Stockpile Stewardship
program's annual costs, with $4.7 billion requested for the coming year and
$4.9 billion/yr. estimated thereafter.

WHEN:           Thursday, July 20, 2000 at 1 PM

WHERE:          National Press Club, Zenger Room, 13th Floor, 529 - 14th
Street, NW, Washington, D.C.

WHO:            * Dr. Frank von Hippel is a Professor of Public and
International Affairs at Princeton University. Dr. von Hippel, a physicist,
served as Assistant Director for National Security in the White House
Office of Science and Technology Policy. Currently, among other activities,
he chairs the research arm of the Federation of American Scientists.

                        * Dr. Robert Civiak, a physicist and the author of
the new report, served from 1988 to 1999 as Program Examiner for the DOE's
national security programs in the White House Office of Management and
Budget. Previously, he served as a visiting scientist at Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory and as a technology policy analyst for the
Congressional Research Service.

                        * Marylia Kelley is Executive Director of
Tri-Valley CAREs,  the Livermore, CA-based DOE "watchdog" organization that
sponsored the report as part of its "Redefining Stockpile Stewardship"
program.

WHY:            Since the last full-scale U.S. nuclear test in 1992, the
debate over management of the arsenal has become very narrow -- as if the
range of choices is limited to either the DOE's expensive and potentially
unworkable Stockpile Stewardship program or a return to the days of
underground nuclear testing. From both a technical and policy standpoint,
this is a false choice. As this new study demonstrates, three better
alternatives exist for (1) maintaining nuclear weapons safety and security,
(2) supporting arms control and nonproliferation, (3) controlling costs,
and (4) minimizing environmental impacts.

TO ATTEND A NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION ON THE REPORT
AND ITS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGE --

When: Friday, July 21, 2000, from 9:30 AM to 11 AM

Where: Natural Resources Defense Council's conference room, 1200 New York
Ave., NW #400, Washington, DC

Presenters: Dr. Robert Civiak (author), Dr. Matthew McKinzie (NRDC) and
Marylia Kelley (Tri-Valley CAREs). To be followed by Round Table
discussion.

Sponsored by Coalition to Reduce Nuclear Dangers, Alliance for Nuclear
Accountability (ANA), Natural Resources Defense Council and Tri-Valley
CAREs. Please RSVP to the ANA office at [phone].

Marylia Kelley
Executive Director,
Tri-Valley CAREs
(Communities Against a Radioactive Environment)
2582 Old First Street
Livermore, CA 94550
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web site: http://www.igc.org/tvc



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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2000 14:32:06 -0400
From: Karina Wood <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) Missile Control Regime: Letter to New York Times

Excellent letter, John!

What concrete actions do you suggest that NGOs can take to campaign for
a global missile flight test ban? Are there any governments currently
pushing the idea? NAC/MPI involvement?

Karina (Wood)
Project Abolition

 wrote:
>
> New York Times, Letters, July 15, 2000
>
> Missile Shield: A National Priority?
>
> To the Editor:
>
> Re "A Better Way to Build a Missile Defense," by Richard Perle (Op-Ed, July
> 13):
>
> Mr. Perle asserts that an effective missile shield can be built. Others
> assert that the threat of retaliation by the United States is sufficient to
> deter attacks. Both approaches are morally abhorrent because they plan for
> the possibility of fighting a war with nuclear missiles. There is a third
> option: Eliminate the capability to launch missile attacks through
> development of a global missile control system.
>
> Russia has made proposals for missile nonproliferation and monitoring that
> point toward such a system. North Korea is observing a moratorium on
> long-range missile tests. A global missile flight test ban would be an
> excellent first step toward real security based on eliminating the threat of
> missile attack rather than deterring or defending against it.
>
> JOHN BURROUGHS
> Executive Director, Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy
> New York, July 13, 2000
>
>             John Burroughs, Executive Director
>             Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy
>             211 E. 43d St., Suite 1204
>             New York, New York 10017 USA
>             tel: [phone] fax: [phone]
>             e-mail: [e-mail]
>             website: www.lcnp.org
>             Part of the Abolition 2000 Global
>             Network to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons
>
> -
>  To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
>  with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
>  For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
>  "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.

- --
Karina H. Wood
Field Coordinator, Project Abolition
85 John St.
Providence, RI 02906
Ph: 401-276-0377
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

For information on Project Abolition: www.fourthfreedom.org
For information on the Hague Appeal: www.haguepeace.org

GET CONNECTED TO HAP!
Join the Hague Appeal for Peace news listserv.
To subscribe, send an email message to
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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2000 16:36:56 -0400
From: "Howard W.  Hallman" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) duplicate message

Why do I receive every posting to abolition-usa twice?  With the volume of
e-mail I receive it is quite a nuisance.  If you can eliminate duplicate
messages, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,
Howard Hallman


Howard W. Hallman, Chair
Methodists United for Peace with Justice
1500 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036
Phone/fax: [phone]; e-mail: [e-mail]

Methodists United for Peace with Justice is a membership association of
laity and clergy.  It has no affiliation with any Methodist denomination.

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------------------------------

End of abolition-usa-digest V1 #342
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