THE United States is stepping up its drive to stop China selling arms and nuclear technology to Iran and other undesirable regimes, a senior arms control official said yesterday.
Dr Lynn Davis, Undersecretary of State for International Security Affairs, said arms control would be a key element of Washington's foreign policy in 1995, and that the US wanted to bring China and Russia 'into conformity with globalnon-proliferation norms'.
As the US pushes for an agreement among the world's military powers for an extension of the non-proliferation treaty in April, it is showing frustration at both Moscow and Beijing's failure to stop selling nuclear reactor technology to Teheran.
'We are pressing the PRC for more responsible behaviour in trade in nuclear and chemical weapons technologies,' she said.
'Again, our goal is to convince the Chinese that their security depends on preventing the spread of dangerous arms to these countries.' She warned: 'Moreover, we will not be able to pursue our own peaceful nuclear co-operation with the Chinese unless the Chinese are willing to accept the guidelines for trade that are carried out by the other nuclear suppliers.' Dr Davis' strong comments suggest that even as peace has broken out over the intellectual property trade dispute, more conflict is brewing between the two nations over arms control.