Zach Nunn: “If I could just elaborate on that last question, let me state that on the conversion and elimination what we have done…”

“If I could just elaborate on that last question, let me state that on the conversion and elimination what we have done in this amendment is provide flexibility because the Chemical Weapons Treaty has not entered into effect yet. So until that enters into effect there would be flexibility for us to assist in. But once it enters into effect, when and if it does--and, of course, we have not ratified it here in the Senate yet--at that stage the parties to that would be obligated to eliminate. And basically that elimination provision would be required. There would be no more conversion. But I think it is clear that we would not intend to help them convert unless they stopped production. But they could convert, stop production, and not eliminate. But once the treaty goes into effect they would have to eliminate. If I could elaborate just briefly because I have been handed the report that the Senator from Virginia alluded to between the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense signed by Walter Slocombe and Thomas Grumbly, Slocombe being Undersecretary of Defense, and Grumley being Undersecretary of Energy.”