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people's daily 22 October 1999

China Against Attempt to Amend ABM Treaty

China voiced strong opposition to any attempt by the US to amend the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, which remains a cornerstone for the maintenance of global strategic balance and stability in the world today.

Ambassador Hu Xiaodi, the Chinese delegate to the First Committee of the 54th General Assembly, made the statement in a press interview here.

"For years, the United States has repeatedly called on other countries to comply with existing international arms control treaties," he said. "Moreover, it has, for many years, tabled resolutions entitled 'Compliance with arms limitation and disarmament agreements" at the General Assembly."

"Russia's draft resolution merely quotes certain provisions from the Treaty and calls for full and strict compliance with the Treaty by all state parties," he said.

"The draft resolution, I believe, is mild, reasonable and factual," he said. "It has just laid bare the truth to the international community."

China and Belarus are co-sponsors of the draft resolution, entitled "Preservation of and Compliance with Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty," which Russia introduced to the First Committee on Thursday morning.

"We therefore cannot go along with the allegation that the Russian Federation is seeking confrontation," he said. "Quite on the contrary, we believe that the draft resolution is a necessary step in the right direction."

"If the atmosphere here at the General Assembly is to be characterized as 'somewhat confrontational' during discussions, it shows exactly that the pursuit by the US of missile defense programs has aroused the grave concern of the international community as such a move goes against the general trend of the times," he said.

"In this context, the Chinese side expresses its understanding of the Russian Federation in tabling the draft resolution," he said, "And as its co-sponsor, China will render all its support to this draft resolution." (Xinhua)

WorldNews 1999-10-22 Page7
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