Michael Kopetski: “Mr. Chairman, let me address a couple of the issues raised. It is the nonproliferation treaty and future agreements like…”

“Mr. Chairman, let me address a couple of the issues raised. It is the nonproliferation treaty and future agreements like the comprehensive test ban treaty that gives the United States and the international community the legal authority as we discussed under the Solomon amendment to pursue such nations as North Korea who first agree to an international agreement and then try to back out of it. These are the very kinds of agreements and legal contracts that we want nations to enter into so that we can police the world against further development of nuclear weapons. Second, in terms of the Chinese testing, yes, they have tested. It is regrettable. The world community rose up in protest against it and as a result of that protest, the Chinese are actively participating in the conference on disarmament and have come out and publicly stated that they will support a comprehensive test ban treaty if negotiated by 1996. Also, the fact is the United States has conducted 1,000 nuclear weapons tests through the years. Our weapons program and technological superiority is unequaled anywhere in the world. There is no second place. If we take the sophistication level of a North Korea or an India or some other emerging nuclear weapons state, they are at the 1-yard line and we are at the other end of the football field about to score. It is that much of a gap of superiority both in numbers of weapons and sophistication level.”