Spread of nuclear weapons

Spread of nuclear weapons

I was dismayed to read in your April 29, 1995 editorial the suggestion that the spread of nuclear weapons to more countries would produce greater stability or a better "balance". I am pleased to inform you that this is not the point of view of the Government of Indonesia, which shares our concerns about "horizontal proliferation." The NPT, by forestalling widespread proliferation, has prevented regional nuclear arms races that might have bankrupted the participants and exposed them to the horrors of nuclear war.

I would also like to correct the record concerning the progress being made on the United States' commitment to reduce nuclear weapons. We are destroying nuclear warheads at the rate of 2000 per year, the maximum pace technically feasible. We have declared a halt to nuclear tests while we push for completion of a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. We have ceased production of fissile material and are seeking a treaty which would require others to do the same. We are providing significant technical assistance on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy to countries like Indonesia, which are NPT parties and are not seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

We are pleased that there is a clear majority of parties to the NPT which are committed to vote for unconditional indefinite extension of the NPT, and that significant numbers of NAM members, including ASEAN members such as Singapore and the Philippines, are among that majority. We hope that others, such as Indonesia, will find it possible to join a consensus supporting that outcome.

ROBERT L. BARRY

U.S. Ambassador

Jakarta