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Date:         Fri, 8 Jan 1993 00:57:00 EST
From:         CATHYF@EARLHAM.BITNET
Subject:      SANE/FREEZE Jan. 7 report

I picked out a few items from the SANE/FREEZE Weekly Report
for January 7, 1993 that might be of interest to readers of
DISARM-L.
           Peace, Cathy Flick
-----------------------------------------------

/* Written  9:21 am  Jan  7, 1993 by sfnatldc@igc.apc.org in
igc:sf.lobby */
/* ---------- "S/F Weekly Report 1-7-93" ---------- */

WEEKLY WASHINGTON REPORT
For The Week Of January 7, 1993

     The Weekly Legislative Report is updated on the second
business day of each week by SANE/FREEZE: Campaign for Global
Security and the SANE/FREEZE Education Fund. This report is based
on the political objectives adopted by the 1992 SANE/FREEZE:
Campaign for Global Security National Congress.

     Please help us by reporting your lobbying activities to Burt
Glass or Ira Shorr at (202) 862-9740, by fax at (202) 862-9762, by

PeaceNet mail message to "sfnatldc," or by written report (form
available from legislative office) to SANE/FREEZE: Campaign for
Global Security, attn.: Weekly Washington Report, 1819 H Street,
NW, Suite 640, Washington, D.C., 20006-3603.

START II AGREEMENT REACHED

     President Bush and Russian President Bush signed an agreement
Sunday, January 3, to reduce the number of nuclear warheads between
their two countries to no more than 6,500 - removing from service
more than two-thirds of the warheads deployed in 1990.

     The treaty, if ratified by the Senate and the Russian
parliament, would eliminate the destabilizing multi-warhead land
missiles from both sides. The reductions may be fully realized by
the year 2000 if the United States pays for part of the Russian
disarmament. The Senate is expected to approve the treaty this
year, but passage in the Russian parliament is no certainty in

light of its current political divisions.

     ACTION: Write the Russian embassy and voice your support for
the "START II" treaty: Embassy of Russian, attn.: Igor Nevorov,
1125 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036.

-----------------------------
NUCLEAR TESTING

     Several strategies for Congressional and administration action
are emerging to follow up on last year's successful enactment of a
nine-month moratorium on nuclear weapons tests, but many
Congressional leaders are waiting until Clinton's team is in place
and they have had a chance to meet with them before they introduce
legislation. An early focus has been placed on the State Department
to pressure its leadership to re-start the Comprehensive Test Ban
Treaty talks junked by President Reagan early in his term. After
talks were underway, the focus would shift to extending the
moratorium so as to strengthen negotiations toward a CTB.


     Other activists hope to amend the Partial Test Ban Treaty to
"make it comprehensive" through an amendment conference later this
year. Others believe a CTB is best achieved through the UN
Conference on Disarmament, which recently finished multilateral
negotiations to eliminate chemical weapons.

NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION

     President-elect Clinton has made it clear that nuclear
proliferation will be one his top foreign policy agenda items this
year, and it is likely that Congress will follow his lead. Clinton
will have to balance economic concerns, championed by the Commerce
Department and regions heavily dependent on military production,
with security concerns, championed by Defense (probably) and
perhaps State.

     For its part, Congress may reconsider the comprehensive non-

proliferation bill introduced last session by Sen. John Glenn (D-
OH), which died in a "pre-1992-adjournment gridlock." Stronger
measures, similar to last year's "Title III," may be brought before
the House by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) and others. Congress may also
consider boosting money for the UN's International Atomic Energy
Agency.

CONVENTIONAL ARMS TRANSFERS

     Because Clinton is on record as supporting the F-15 fighter
sale to Saudi Arabia and the F-16 sale to Taiwan, it is likely
these major transfers will be completed. However, renewed interest
in this issue from the media and within Congress may force the
introduction of legislation improving Congressional oversight of
arms sales, possibly by increasing the period time in which
Congress is to be notified of major transfers. Also, non-binding
resolutions criticizing accelerated arms transfers are likely to be
introduced.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU