U.S. Reconsidering Negotiations on Fissile Material

The Bush administration could soon take steps to revive U.N. talks on a treaty to limit the production of fissile materials, the Washington Times reported today (see GSN, March 27, 2002).

A senior administration official told the Washington Times that the formal interagency review of the administration’s position is in a “well-advanced stage.”

There is no clear indication when the review will be finished, according to an ambassador from a NATO member nation.

Differences between the U.S. and Chinese negotiating positions have led to a seven-year stalemate at the 65-nation Conference on Disarmament. Last summer, China ended its insistence that the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty talks continue only if the United States agreed to resume separate negotiations on prohibiting the weaponization of outer space (see GSN, Aug. 8, 2003). That concession paved the way for a U.S. review of its position (John Zarocostas, Washington Times, Feb. 26).

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