Message to the Congress Transmitting the Annual Report of the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency

To the Congress of the United States:

I am pleased to transmit the 1988 Report of the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. It reviews all aspects of last year's arms control policies, negotiating efforts, and the activities conducted in the process of meeting the statutory requirements of the Arms Control and Disarmament Act, as amended.

Of special interest are the sections on conventional arms control, the implementation of the INF Treaty, Nuclear Testing Talks, and the chemical weapons ban. The role of verification, a crucial element in any arms control agreement, is highlighted throughout the report.

The INF Treaty is a significant step in the quest for arms reductions. Reaching agreements with the Soviet Union on a START Treaty and a conventional arms control treaty are important objectives. We must also seek solutions to the serious problems of nuclear and chemical weapons proliferation.

While I endorse the broad approach to arms control taken in the past year, I am still reviewing specific details of the U.S. negotiating position. Statements of Administration views in the attached report, therefore, should be considered to be authoritative statements of past positions that may be subject to future modification following review.

I strongly believe that arms control should play a significant role in enhancing the security of the United States and its allies. The United States will continue to work toward effectively verifiable and stabilizing arms reductions.

George Bush

The White House,

March 14, 1989.