THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Vice President
VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE OUTLINES VISION FOR AMERICA'S USE OF DIPLOMACY AND FORCE IN POST COLD-WAR ERA Marshalltown, IA -- Today, at a local Veterans' Day ceremony, Vice
President Al Gore honored the sacrifices and contributions of our nation's veterans, and outlined his vision for the use of American diplomacy and force in the post Cold-War era.
"Diplomacy, together with military might, is how we are fighting the spread of nuclear weapons around the world," said Vice President Gore at the Iowa Veterans' Home in Marshalltown, Iowa. "It is how we are bringing international terrorists to justice. It is how we are breaking up deadly drug cartels and crime syndicates around the world."
Specifically, the Vice President outlined six central steps for strengthening U.S. diplomatic interests around the world:
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty "Our next President must resubmit the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and demand its ratification by the Senate." The treaty would establish more than 320 data gathering stations to register nuclear explosions anywhere in the world and subject those signatories suspected of violating the Treaty to on-site inspections, inhibiting the spread of nuclear weapons. The CTBT would not jeopardize the role of U.S. nuclear program as the world most advanced nuclear deterrence. United Nations Dues "It is time for America to pay its U.N. dues in full." Through the United Nations, the U.S. can build critical international support for issues and policies important to our foreign policy goals, and also share the financial and resource burden with other countries. We have made considerable progress on reforming the UN so that it is better able to deliver "value for money." The World Food Program, the High Commissioner for Refugees and other agencies of the UN offer the U.S. an effective means of helping to alleviate suffering in some of the most vulnerable corners of the globe. Foreign Operations Funding "We need a firm commitment to foreign affairs in our budget. It amounts to a penny for every dollar in the budget. These programs are not charity, but national security. They must be enhanced, not reduced." Through our foreign operations funding, the U.S. helps encourage economic and political development in new democracies, helps fight disease and combat illiteracy in the some of the world's poorest countries as well as other assistance and provides stabilizing support to the developing world. Fighting Terrorism "We must redouble our commitment to fighting terrorism through diplomacy and international cooperation." From the Vice President's Airline Safety Commission to the Emergency Security Assessment teams being sent to our most vulnerable embassies abroad, this Administration has been committed to fighting terrorism wherever American interests and Americans are threatened. Engagement with Russia and China "We must engage Russia and China, not pretend we can turn our backs on them. The greatest threat to America is not the strength of Russia and China, but their weakness." Our interests are in a stable and democratic Russia that does not threaten the U.S. or our allies. While Russia has had more setbacks and problems than we would like, we have made significant progress on a number of major issues, and have forged U.S.-Russian cooperation that was unimaginable a decade ago. With respect to China, U.S. interests are not served by those who would treat it like an enemy. We will build cooperation where we can and deal with differences, as we must. Our long-term strategy must be to encourage China to become a strong, prosperous and open society, while integrating it into the institutions that promote global norms on proliferation, trade, the environment and human rights. A Strong Military "It is still a dangerous world --and a strong military has to be the cornerstone of our security." The Administration has maintained our military forces as the best prepared best-equipped, most capable fighting force in the world. Through the continued development of advance weaponry, we have given our soldiers the most modern weapon systems available, and have ensured that if the use of force is required, our military will be ready. The Vice President also blasted the Congressional Republican
leadership for putting partisanship ahead of America's foreign policy interests.
"More and more each year, engagement abroad means a political struggle here at home," Vice President Gore said. "When Congress risks our vote at the United Nations by refusing to pay our dues; when our best chance of achieving a nuclear test ban is sacrificed on the altar of partisan politics; when even the free and fair trade agreements that deepen the ties among nations become political footballs, we threaten our very stability and security."
###