US will try to restrain nuke proliferation: Clinton

“I ask the Senate to take this vital step: approve the (test ban) treaty now, so we can make it harder for other nations to develop nuclear arms — and to make sure we can end testing forever.”

“It has been two years since I signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. If we don’t do the right thing, other nations won’t either,” he said.

During his 77-minute address, Clinton refrained from making any reference to the ongoing impeachment trial against him, calling instead for a new round of world trade talks and restarting ofthe West Asia peace process.

However, in an indirect reference to the trial, Clinton asked Congress to act with “civility and bipartisanship”.

“Mr Speaker, at your swearing-in you asked us all to work together in a spirit of civility and bipartisanship… Mr Speaker, let’s do exactly that,” Clinton said in the address to the joint sitting of the Congress to vigorous applause from both Democrat and Republican lawmakers.

Two of the biggest threats to world security are the spread of nuclear weapons and terrorism, he said in the 16-page written address.

He said the US must expand its work with Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet states “to safeguard nuclear materials so they will never fall into the wrong hands”, and added his proposed budget would increase funding for these efforts by two-thirds over the next five years.

On terrorism, he reminded lawmakers of the US retaliation for last year’s deadly embassy attacks in Kenya and Tanzania and said attacks on Washington’s interests would notgo unpunished.

In the speech, boycotted by some Republicans who said it was inappropriate for him to deliver the address when he was undergoing an impeachment trial, Clinton also blasted Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic and Arab dissident Osama bin Laden as he unveiled foreign policy initiatives for the next century.

He urged the expansion of NATO and ties with key states in Asia — notably South Korea, Japan and China — and vowed to continue to isolate Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

“America will continue to contain Saddam — and we will work for the day when Iraq has a government worthy of its people,” Clinton said.

He congratulated the 33,000 US soldiers who took part in last month’s British and US air strikes on Iraq, and promised to increase military spending over the next six years to support troops and maintain modernisation and readiness.

He also urged Congress to provide promised funding for the implementation of the Wye River land-for-peace accord between Israel and the Palestinianauthority.

“I ask Congress to provide resources to implement the Wye agreement, to protect Israel’s security, stimulate the Palestinian economy and support our friends in Jordan.”

In addition, the President said he wanted to support the United Nations which he said shared burdens that the US “might otherwise shoulder alone.”

The UN says Washington owes it about $1.5 billion.

Clinton also called for a new round of world trade talks.

“Tonight, I also call on nations of the world to join the US in a new round of global negotiations to expand exports of services, of manufactures, and farm products.”

He said US defence spending would be boosted by $12 billion next year to improve pay and benefits for troops, strengthen recruitment and retention programmes, modernise weapons programmes and improve military readiness.