Responding to a letter
from 36 Members of Congress, President Clinton has told the Representatives
that he shares their concerns about the imprisonment of Mordechai Vanunu
and the secrecy surrounding Israel's nuclear weapons program. While making no specific
commitment, the President departed significantly from the State Department
line that the Vanunu case is an internal Israeli matter and that there
is no evidence of prison mistreatment of Vanunu. The text of the April
22 letter:
THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON
Thank you for your letter regarding the imprisonment of Mordechai Vanunu
in Israel.
Your letter raises important questions and, as you know, we have followed
the matter of Mr. Vanunu´s imprisonment closely. In particular, we
are concerned about reports pertaining to the conditions under which he
is held.
I also share your concerns about the Israeli nuclear program. We have repeatedly
urged Israel and other non-parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty to adhere
to the Treaty and accept comprehensive International Atomic Energy Agency
safeguards.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts on this matter. We will continue
to raise these issues in our discussions with the government of Israel.
