Senate Urged To 'Move Slowly' On NATO Expansion

By Janet Moore/CNN

WASHINGTON (April 24) -- A bipartisan group of senators Thursday urged the U.S. Senate to "move slowly" on the scheduled debate and vote on expanding the North American Treaty Organization [NATO] membership to include Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

Calling the proposal "disturbing" and "costly," the senators outlined their concerns at a news conference, during which a television ad campaign sponsored by an organization of private sector executives was shown with the headline "Hey, Let's Scare the Russians."

The bipartisan group expressed reluctance to vote on what Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) called an expansion that is both "unwise" and "unwarranted" and endangers arms control.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) said at least 20 senators still have questions and may remain nervous about the expansion if the administration continues to take an al-or-nothing attitude.

Friday April 24, 1998

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• Senate Urged To 'Move Slowly' On NATO Expansion
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