The New York Times

Thursday, October 7, 1999

Clinton Rejecting Treaty Vote Delay

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Clinton pressed his case for a nuclear test-ban treaty today, invoking a ``moral responsibility for future generations'' even as supporters conceded there seemed little chance to prevail.

Clinton asserted the treaty ``gives us tools to strengthen our security'' and ``to throw away these tools will ensure more testing and more development of more sophisticated and more dangerous nuclear weapons.''

He again held out the possibility that a vote, now scheduled for Tuesday in the Senate, could be postponed.

Clinton spoke before leaving for New York City for a fund-raising event for Democratic Senate candidates.

``We have a moral responsibility for future generations,'' he said. ``Future generations won't forgive us if we fail that responsibility.''

Hours earlier Energy Secretary Bill Richardson told the Senate Armed Services Committee rejection of the 154-nation Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty ``would announce that the United States refuses to lead on this issue.''

But the administration appeared to be making little headway in picking up support for the treaty.

Clinton acknowledged no agreement can assure nations won't cheat but said the treaty gives parties the right to demand inspections and compels other countries ``to do what we have already decided to do ourselves.''

``This is bigger than party politics,'' he said. ``This is bigger than personal politics. This is about America's future.''

Even though leaders of both parties continued to seek means of postponing the vote, a group of conservatives led by Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., kept up pressure for proceeding.

The White House has rejected their demand that Clinton put in writing any request to delay a vote on an international nuclear test ban treaty.

The conservatives also want Clinton to promise -- in writing -- not to seek to revive the treaty during the 2000 presidential election year, a condition the White House has also rejected.

Additionally, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., served notice on Senate leaders that he planned to block any effort to postpone a vote, whether Clinton seeks it in writing or not.

The administration has made the treaty a top priority ``and should live with the consequences,'' Inhofe said.

In his testimony to the Armed Services Committee, Richardson said testing is not needed to make sure the weapons will work.

The nuclear stockpile is ``safe, secure and reliable,'' the energy secretary said.

Democrats acknowledged there seemed to be little way either to win ratification of the treaty or persuade Republican leaders to postpone the vote.

``If they want to kill it, I guess they can do it,'' Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, senior Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told a news conference today.

With virtually no Republican support, the treaty appeared headed to defeat in the Senate. Its ratification requires 67 votes in the GOP-led chamber if all 100 senators vote.

That would represent a humiliating defeat for the administration, which has led an international campaign for the treaty -- and which had criticized Helms for bottling up the treaty for two years in his Foreign Relations Committee.

The treaty would extend the present international ban on nuclear tests in the atmosphere to underground testing as well, resulting in a total ban on all nuclear explosions, no matter how small.

So far, 154 nations have signed the treaty, although it has been ratified by only 48. Of the major nuclear powers, only Britain and France have ratified the pact.

Many prominent Republicans -- including GOP presidential hopeful George W. Bush and the Senate Armed Services Committee chairman, Sen. John Warner of Virginia -- say the treaty is not verifiable and would not stop the nuclear ambitions of North Korea and Iran. Further, they argue it would harm efforts to maintain the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear arsenal.

Not only were Democrats pressing for a delay in the face of a probable defeat, but many influential Senate Republicans were also suggesting the showdown be postponed.

Members of both parties expressed fear that an outright rejection of the treaty would draw international scorn on the United States and increase pressure for a resumption of nuclear testing.

Helms' objection to a delay is significant, because under Senate rules the only way that next week's vote can be called off is through unanimous consent of all senators.

``We're ready to vote,'' Helms said, predicting that the treaty would be soundly rejected.

Democrats balked at Helms' terms -- particularly on his demand not to press for action on the treaty next year -- but Helms countered that Democrats ``are trying to dictate the terms of their own surrender.''

Other Republicans joined Helms in demanding Clinton seek the delay in writing.

``He must share with the Senate leadership the burden of not going forward,'' said Warner.

Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said he still hoped a deal could be brokered with Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., to avoid a floor showdown.

``I think that there is a desire on the part of many not to have a vote,'' Daschle told reporters.

But in the absence of a deal, both sides were preparing to begin the debate Friday.