NEGATIVE/CTBT

INHERENCY — THE CTBT WILL BE PASSED SOON

NO NEED FOR PANIC AT CTBT DEFEAT, IT WAS A DOMESTIC ISSUE, AND THE CTBT WILL BE PASSED NEXT TIME

Financial Times (London), October 21, 1999, SECTION: COMMENT & ANALYSIS; Pg. 23, HEADLINE: Domestic drama may spill on to world stage: An act of defiance by the US Senate could return to haunt America by rekindling the nuclear arms race // ln-10-29-99-acs

Wise heads in Washington also counsel against any international overreaction. It was just about domestic politics, they say, with the Republicans determined to humiliate Bill Clinton and his Democratic party, as election fever starts to mount. Everyone else should ratify the treaty, and the US will come round to it.

CTBT CAN MAKE A COMEBACK IN 20O1, WITH CHINA AND RUSSIA HOLDING THE LINE ON TESTING

Martin Woollacott, The Guardian (London), October 15, 1999 SECTION: Guardian Leader Pages; Pg. 22 HEADLINE: America: selfish, foolish and endangering the world; Xenophobes in the US senate have sent out a dangerous message // ln-10-29-99-acs

It is true that neither Russia or China have instantly announced that they will not now ratify the treaty, and that they and other countries, including America itself, will continue to observe its provisions. It is also true that the treaty can be brought back to the senate - Vice-President Gore has already said it would be his first act, if elected, to do so - but that cannot be done until 2001 at the earliest.

CTBT DEFEAT ONLY INTENSIFIED INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC SUPPORT FOR IT

Professor Harald Muller, Director of the Peace Research Institute at Franfurt. William Walker is Professor of International Relations at the University of St Andrews, The Independent (London), October 15, 1999, SECTION: COMMENT; Pg. 4 HEADLINE: THE US MUST STOP TREATING THE REST OF THE WORLD WITH CONTEMPT // ln-10-29-99-acs

If there is any comfort to be gleaned from this appalling vote, it may be that the many supporters of this vital treaty within the international community - and within the US - will become even more determined to defend it, together with other instruments of arms control

BUSH ADMINISTRATION WILL PRESS NUCLEAR THRESHOLD STATES TO SIGN THE CTBT

THE STATESMAN (INDIA) April 11, 2001 HEADLINE: INDIA AND CTBT: New Delhi's Cause Needs To Be Examined //VT2002acsln

THE George W Bush administration's rumblings over the nuclear issue have created considerable dismay in international spheres. When the Republicans were in the Opposition, they had refused to ratify the controversial Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. It now appears that this was brinkmanship, witness their efforts to push through the National Missile Defence security paradigm. Presumably they will soon display their true colours on the CTBT by armtwisting the threshold nuclear states to toe their line or face the consequences.