U.S. seeks RI support on nuclear treaty

U.S. seeks RI support on nuclear treaty

JAKARTA (JP): U. S. President Bill Clinton sent a special
envoy to Indonesia this week to muster support for an indefinite
extension of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), a move
Jakarta is reluctant to accept.

"I think it was a good exchange of views and they understand
our position better, we understand their's better," Thomas
Graham, the envoy, said of his talks here yesterday.

Graham is Clinton's special representative for arms control,
non-proliferation and disarmament issues.

"I wouldn't say that there had been great progress, I didn't
expect that when I came here," Graham replied when asked by The
Jakarta Post of his meetings with Indonesian officials.

He has already met with the foreign ministry's director of
political affairs Izhar Ibrahim and the Non-Aligned Movement's
(NAM) chief executive assistant Nana Sutresna.

His visit is part of a world tour to garner support for the
extension of the Non-Proliferation Treaty at the upcoming April
12 to May 12 conference in New York.

Led by the U.S., the nuclear weapon owning countries such as
Britain and France are calling for an indefinite extension of the
treaty. However, a handful of countries -- Iraq, North Korea and
Iran among them -- are opposed to such a proposal.

Indonesia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas just three-
weeks ago told the Post that he found it "difficult" to accept an
indefinite extension.

But Graham said yesterday that the Indonesian government "has
not definitely made up its mind and does not yet have a final
position".

Early this week, Izhar, at a hearing with the House of
Representatives, said that Indonesia's reluctance to support an
indefinite extension was based on the absence of a compulsory NPT
deadline requiring nuclear-owning countries to eliminate their
stockpile.

Graham counters by arguing that since 1988 the United States
has destroyed 90 percent of its tactical nuclear weapons and 60
percent of its overall nuclear stockpile.

He said there are now between 70 to 75 countries supporting
the NPT extension and many more will soon announce their official
support.

With 171 signatories to the NPT, a minimum of 86 votes is
necessary for an indefinite extension.

Support

When asked of the importance of Indonesia's support, Graham
underlined Indonesia's role as chair of the 111-nation NAM. "I'm
not saying it's a make-or-break situation but it's very
important, that's why I'm here" he said.

If the NPT fails to get the necessary votes for an indefinite
extension this year, the chances of it ever being adopted again
are slim.

Graham explained that if only a 10-year extension was agreed
upon, an indefinite extension of the treaty would be almost
impossible and would only be possible through an amendment.

"The treaty would have to be amended and this would have to be
approved by all 171 parliaments, an impossibility in our
judgment," he warned.

He argued that the nuclear weapon countries could only
continue disarming if they had the security of knowing that other
countries would not start developing nuclear arms. "They need a
permanent NPT in which to base this disarmament," he said.(mds)