Combating Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

Missile Defense programs, and that portion of the Cooperative Threat Reduction programinvolving destruction of ballistic missiles. The Counselor shares with the Senior Directorfor Non-Proliferation and Export Controls responsibility for policy relating to nuclearweapons free zones and the Conference on Disarmament.The Counselor is also responsible for assembling the President’s annual report on U.S.National Security Strategy, required by an amendment to the National Security Act. Thisreport is the primary official statement of U.S. national security strategy and contains asignificant section on proliferation. Typically, the proliferation section is drafted in theDepartment of State, edited by the Senior Director for Non-Proliferation and ExportControls, and coordinated widely throughout the executive branch.Regional Senior Directors. As noted above, three regional Senior Directors—Russia,Ukraine, and Eurasia; the Near East and South Asia; and Asia—have major proliferationand export control issues in their portfolios. Physical proximity of offices in the OldExecutive Office Building, secure telephone and e-mail connections, and frequentparticipation in meetings on issues of common concern facilitate cooperation with theSenior Director for Non-Proliferation and Export Controls and with other interested NSCstaff members.The Senior Director for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia has, since the outset of the ClintonAdministration, had a very close relationship with the Senior Director for Non-Proliferationand Export Controls. Indeed, negotiations concerning proliferation issues and exportcontrols have been central to the U.S.-Russian relationship. The two senior directors andtheir staffs are in constant contact on these issues and cooperate extensively. Together,they also work closely with the Vice President’s national security affairs staff to ensure thatthe Vice President is well-prepared for meetings and conversations with Russian leaders.Proliferation concerns in Iran, Iraq, India, and Pakistan also require close coordinationbetween the Senior Director for Near East and South Asia and the proliferation directorate.After the Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests, for example, the Senior Director for Non-Proliferation and Export Controls took the lead on sanctions implementation and exportcontrol issues, while the regional Senior Director worked with the Deputy Secretary ofState on diplomatic responses.Proliferation issues have been an important element of U.S.-China relations and at thecenter of U.S.-North Korea relations, requiring that the Senior Director for Asia workclosely with the Senior Director for Non-Proliferation and Export Controls. He estimatesthat they are in contact with each other at least three or four times each day. The Asia staffhas a military officer on reimbursable detail who focuses closely on North Korea and, infact, has been a member of the State Department-led team negotiating with the NorthKoreans. The Senior Director, a well-known expert on China, oversees Chinese issues.6