Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, June 5, 1993                   TAG: 9306050054
SECTION: NATL/INTL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: UNITED NATIONS                                LENGTH: Short

U.S. REVERSES, SIGNS TREATY ON BIODIVERSITY

The United States was the only country that refused to sign the biodiversity convention at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro last year, when George Bush was president.

"We are here this morning to signal a new change in U.S. foreign policy," declared Timothy Wirth, a U.S. State Department counselor.

President Clinton had announced in April during an Earth Day speech that he would reverse the Bush administration's policy.

Declaring then that the "bounty of nature is not ours to waste," Clinton also pledged to reduce U.S. emissions of gases that contribute to global warming.

U.S. Ambassador Madeleine Albright said that although the United States has concerns about parts of the biodiversity treaty, "the course of wisdom is to join the convention and play a leadership role."

Albright said the signing showed the Clinton administration's "determination to treat environmental threats as serious as other threats to our security."

The Bush administration had complained the treaty could be interpreted as forcing American companies to share research and technological developments.