The House has approved legislation calling for exchange visits between
the U.S. nuclear test site in Nevada and Russia's test site on an Arctic
archipelago in an effort to promote openness in the face of reported signs
Russia may be preparing to resume nuclear testing.
Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.), who sponsored the amendment, told the House
last week that a classified intelligence briefing for certain members of
Congress had included information on possible "new movement in the area of
nuclear weapons and nuclear materials."
The New York Times reported on its Web site yesterday that classified
briefings for select House and Senate members included information on a
new analysis by the Joint Atomic Energy Intelligence Committee indicating
that Moscow is preparing to resume testing at the Novaya Zemlya testing
area. The committee gathers views from different federal agencies on
nuclear issues.
Weldon said yesterday that the purpose of his amendment, which drew
bipartisan support, was "not intended to accuse Russia of anything," but
rather to promote access to nuclear weapons facilities "unlike anything
we've had before."
The amendment also reverses a ban on scientific research to develop
nuclear weapons that can defeat chemical and biological weapon production
and storage facilities.
"No president should have their hands tied by outdated laws that stifle
research and development into new technologies that will safeguard us in
the future," Weldon said. "The fact is, our adversaries are developing
chemical and biological weapons that pose a significant threat to America
and our allies."
The new questions about Russia's nuclear testing come just weeks before
President Bush is to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin for a May
23-26 summit in Russia where arms control is on the agenda.
Russia has observed a moratorium on full-scale nuclear testing since
its last test explosion in October 1990.
Moscow has said it would continue to conduct subcritical test blasts
that are not prohibited by the international Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
because they are necessary to ensure the safety of the country's nuclear
arsenal. In subcritical experiments, plutonium is blasted with explosives
too weak to set off an atomic explosion.
Critics warn that carrying out even limited tests could encourage other
countries to conduct full-scale nuclear tests.
Russia ratified the test ban treaty in May 2000. The treaty was signed
by President Bill Clinton in 1996. Bush has said he does not support the
treaty and will not ask the Senate to approve it, but will not violate
it.
The Weldon proposal was approved 362 to 53 as an amendment to
legislation that passed the House on Friday authorizing $383 billion in
national security spending during the 2003 budget year.
The CIA and State Department had no comment on reports that Russia may
be preparing to resume testing. Sean McCormack, spokesman for the National
Security Council, said U.S. officials "are concerned that we may not be
able to know if any entity were testing in a way designed to avoid
detection, and we expect Russia to abide by the testing moratorium it has
declared for itself."
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