1 China's northwest territory ,/, which includes the Gobi Desert ,/, contains almost half of that country's total landmass but only 7 percent of its freshwater. Recently some Chine engineer proposed diverting water into this arid area from the mighty Brahmaputra River ,/, which skirts China's southern border before dipping into India and Bangladesh. Such a feat would be "/" impossible "/" with conventional methods ,/, engineer stated at a meeting held last December at the Chine Academy of Engineer Physics in Beijing. But they added that "/" we can certainly accomplish this project "/" -/: with nuclear explosion. This statement is just one of many lately in which Chine technology and officials have touted the potential of nuclear blast for carrying out nonmilitary goals. Now that France has finally pledged to stop test ,/, the Chine interest in so -/: called peaceful nuclear explosion (/( Pne ) is emerging as the major obstacle to the enactment of a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty ,/, which arms -/: control advocates had anticipated might be achieved this year. The U.S. considers China's position on Pne to be "/" totally unacceptable ,/, "/" says Katherine E. Magraw of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.