07 August 2000

Cohen Says No Decision Made On National Missile Defense Program

Defense Secretary William Cohen says he will make no recommendation about the future of the National Missile Defense (NMD) program until the Defense Department has completed an assessment of the program and he has analyzed its findings.

"Recent reports that I have made a decision on this matter, preliminary or otherwise, are wrong," he said in a statement issued August 7.

Following is the text of Cohen's statement issued by the Defense Department:

Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense
(PUBLIC AFFAIRS)
Washington, D.C. 20301
August 7, 2000
Cohen Issues Statement on National Missile Defense

Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen today issued the following statement on National Missile Defense (NMD):

"Components of the Department of Defense are currently completing their assessment of the program to develop a National Missile Defense system. A number of difficult issues remain to be resolved before they can report to me.

"I will make no recommendation about the future of the NMD program until I have analyzed their findings. I expect that to happen and to report to the president within the next few weeks. Recent reports that I have made a decision on this matter, preliminary or otherwise, are wrong.

"There is no immediate or artificial deadline for a recommendation to the president. NMD is an important and complex program. My goal is to make the best possible recommendation based on the president's four criteria, not the earliest possible recommendation. The president fully supports this approach."

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)