Jump to News Pages... ___________________________________ New Flash Index ___________________________________ Newsletter Index

P  R  E  S  S    R  E  L  E  A  S  E

John Hagelin Lauds Historic U.N. Agreement To Scrap Nuclear Arsenals

The historic agreement by five nuclear powers for an "unequivocal" elimination of nuclear arms drew strong praise today from John Hagelin, Natural Law Party presidential candidate. Hagelin, a Harvard-trained nuclear physicist who has worked for decades for nuclear disarmament, called the decision "a landmark agreement that will help end the climate of death and destruction that hangs like Damocles' sword over us all. It make the world a far safer place for future generations."

Hagelin also pledged "an all-out lobbying effort" by hundreds of Natural Law Party senatorial and congressional candidates running for office in all 50 states to force the issue of nuclear disarmament to the forefront of the 2000 campaign and ensure congressional support.

Citing the Senate's failure to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, Hagelin acknowledged that "powerful lobbies" in the U.S. will attempt to block any reduction in nuclear arms. He blasted the Congress for caving in to U.S. nuclear weapons manufacturers, who exert an "undue and unholy" influence over U.S. defense policy.

"For too long, arms dealers, who pour millions of dollars into the re-election campaigns of our members of Congress, have been dictating U.S. defense policy," Hagelin said.

That is why, Hagelin said, he is calling for sweeping campaign finance reforms and an end to PACs--"direct bribes to members of Congress."

"In every congressional race, in every televised debate, in every public forum, hundreds of Natural Law Party candidates will challenge the incumbent and every other candidate to sign on to the breakthrough arms-reduction agreement."

Hagelin is the presumptive Natural Law Party presidential candidate and is also vying for the Reform Party nomination against Pat Buchanan. Hagelin will be on the ballot in all 50 states and has already received over $1/2 million in federal primary matching funds.

# # #