http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/Current_Releases/0802-111.htm

Eminent Scientists, Experts Tell Senate to Ratify Test Ban Treaty to Counter Chinese Nuclear Spying
To: National Desk, Defense Reporter
Contact: Tom Z. Collina or Rich Hayes, 202-332-0900, both of the Union of Concerned Scientists;
Web site: http://www.ucsusa.org.

WASHINGTON, - Nine eminent scientists and former intelligence and military officials have sent a letter to all 100 U.S. senators calling for prompt ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

The signers include Dr. Hans Bethe, Nobel Laureate and head of the Manhattan Project's Theoretical Division; Dr. Herbert York, founding director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; Admiral Stansfield Turner, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency; and Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, former chief of Naval Operations, Joint Chiefs of Staff.

These nuclear weapons and national security experts state that "there is one essential step -- which only the Senate can take -- which would greatly help to protect the United States against the weaponization of stolen nuclear secrets: ratification of the (CTBT)."

Last month, the Senate responded quickly to reports of Chinese espionage by voting to reorganize the Department of Energy to create a semi-autonomous nuclear weapons agency with improved security. "But preventing future losses of sensitive information is not enough," say the signers. "Congress must also seek to prevent information that has already been lost from damaging U.S. and global security."

Ratification of the CTBT is a key part of the solution to this problem. "With the CTBT in force and its verification system fully operational, China and other nations would be unable to conduct clandestine nuclear tests of even the triggers for smaller and lighter thermonuclear warheads for use on long-range ballistic missiles," the experts write. "This is the central security value of the CTBT, and one that the Senate cannot afford to ignore."

The Clinton administration submitted the CTBT to the Senate in September 1997, almost two years ago. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, chaired by Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), has yet to hold a hearing.

A full copy of the letter is available at the UCS Web site at http://www.ucsusa.org.

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