DATE=6/23/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-234401
TITLE=SANCTIONS DEBATE (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=BARRY WOOD
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 


INTRO:  STRONG OPPOSITION TO UNILATERAL U-S EXPORT CONTROLS AND 
TRADE SANCTIONS WERE VOICED TUESDAY AT A WASHINGTON CONFERENCE 
ORGANIZED BY THE LIBERTARIAN POLICY GROUP: CATO INSTITUTE.  
V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS U-S SANCTIONS OF SOME SORT ARE IN 
EFFECT AGAINST OVER 40 COUNTRIES.

TEXT:  GARY HOFBAUER, AN ECONOMIST AT THE NON-PARTISAN COUNCIL ON
FOREIGN RELATIONS, SAYS SANCTIONS ARE COSTING THE UNITED STATES 
200-THOUSAND JOBS AND 15 BILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY IN LOST 
EXPORTS. BEYOND THIS COST, SAYS MR. HOFBAUER, MOST OF THE 
UNILATERALLY IMPOSED SANCTIONS ARE INEFFECTIVE. 

U-S SANCTIONS CURRENTLY IMPACT COUNTRIES AS DISPARATE AS CUBA, 
INDIA, PAKISTAN, SERBIA, CHINA, IRAQ AND IRAN.  AND AMERICAN 
LAWMAKERS ARE CONSIDERING 26 ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS MEASURES 
AGAINST TEN MORE COUNTRIES. 

EXECUTIVE IAN BUTTERFIELD OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANT BUILDER, 
WESTINGHOUSE CORPORATION, SAYS UNLESS SANCTIONS ARE 
MULTI-LATERAL, THEY ARE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE.

                       //BUTTERFIELD ACT//

         TARGETED REGIMES GET GOODS AND SERVICES ELSEWHERE. 
         CONSEQUENTLY, THESE ARE NOT REALLY TRADE SANCTIONS THEY 
         ARE TRADE GESTURES. THE TARGETED PARTY SUFFERS NO PAIN. 
         AND THE ONLY TRULY SANCTIONED PARTY IS THE U-S PRODUCER 
         AND THE U-S WORKER WHO CAN NOT MARKET THEIR GOODS AND 
         SERVICES OVERSEAS.

                           //END ACT//

ANOTHER SPEAKER, ROGER MAJAK OF THE U-S COMMERCE DEPARTMENT, SAYS
WITH THE END OF THE COLD WAR, THE CONSENSUS AMONG WESTERN 
COUNTRIES AS TO WHAT KIND OF TECHNOLOGIES SHOULD NOT BE EXPORTED 
TO POTENTIAL ADVERSARIES HAS BROKEN DOWN.  MR. MAJAK SAYS 
UNILATERAL EXPORT CONTROLS ARE LOSING THEIR EFFECTIVENESS.

                          //MAJAK ACT//

         THE LIKELY OUTCOME, IT SEEMS TO ME, IS THAT THE 
         USEFULNESS AND EFFECTIVENESS OF EXPORT CONTROLS WILL 
         BECOME MORE LIMITED. THAT IS THE EFFECTIVENESS WILL 
         DECLINE AS AN INSTRUMENT OF FOREIGN POLICY.

                          //END ACT// 

OTHER SPEAKERS, INCLUDING FORMER OFFICIALS IN THE BUSH AND REAGAN
ADMINISTRATIONS, SAY THE UNITED STATES SHOULD GENERALLY REFRAIN 
FROM IMPOSING SANCTIONS UNLESS IT OBTAINS COMPLIANCE FROM ALLIED 
NATIONS. (SIGNED)

NEB/BDW/GE/JO  

 

23-Jun-98 4:09 PM EDT (2009 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.