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