U.S.-Russia Strategic Framework Declaration

SOCHI, Russia, Apr 06, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — The United States and the Russian
Federation,

Recalling our Joint Statement of November 13, 2001 on a New Relationship

Between the United States and Russian and our Joint Declaration of May 24, 2002,
we reaffirm that the era in which the United States and Russia considered one
another an enemy or strategic threat has ended. We reject the zero-sum thinking
of the Cold War when “what was good for Russia was bad for America” and vice
versa. Rather, we are dedicated to working together and with other nations to
address the global challenges of the 21st century, moving the U.S.-Russia
relationship from one of strategic competition to strategic partnership. We
intend to cooperate as partners to promote security, and to jointly counter the
threats to peace we face, including international terrorism and the proliferation
of weapons of mass destruction. We are determined to build a lasting peace, both
on a bilateral basis and in international fora, recognizing our shared
responsibility to the people of our countries and the global community of nations
to remain steadfast and united in pursuit of international security, and a
peaceful, free world. Where we have differences, we will work to resolve them in
a spirit of mutual respect.

Recognizing the importance of these issues, we affirm our commitment to respect
the rule of law, international law, human rights, tolerance of diversity,
political freedom, and a free market approach to economic policy and practices.

We agree that the foundation for the U.S. and Russian relationship should be
based on the core principles of friendship, cooperation, openness, and
predictability. The strength and stability of this foundation will rest on
expanding the network of ties between our governments and our peoples and on the
positive examples we set for our societies and for the world as we confront new
and emerging threats to global security together as partners. We will strive to
identify areas of positive cooperation where our interests coincide, and pursue
joint projects and actions that will bring our countries closer together, while
minimizing the strain on our partnership where our interests diverge. Going
forward, we intend to deepen our cooperation wherever possible, while taking
further, even more far-reaching steps, to demonstrate our joint leadership in
addressing new challenges to global peace and security in accordance with the
principles of international law, taking into consideration the role of the United
Nations.

In pursuit of these goals, the United States and the Russian Federation will
consult closely on the development of initiatives that will serve our common
interests.

Promoting Security

We acknowledge that today’s security environment is fundamentally different than
during the Cold War. We must move beyond past strategic principles, which focused
on the prospect of mutual annihilation, and focus on the very real dangers that
confront both our nations. These include especially the threat of proliferation
of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. Reflecting the
changed nature of our strategic relationship, we will take steps together to
counter these new and emerging challenges.

– Post-START:

We have reiterated our intention to carry out strategic offensive reductions to
the lowest possible level consistent with our national security requirements and
alliance commitments.

Substantial reductions of strategic offensive forces have been carried out under
the START Treaty, which served as a key instrument in this context. The Moscow
Treaty was an additional important step and remains in effect. We will continue
development of a legally binding post-START arrangement.

We are fully committed to the goals of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons, and consider the arrangement we are pursuing to be a further
step in implementing our commitments under Article VI of the Treaty.

– Missile Defense:

We discussed the issue of missile defense. Both sides expressed their interest in
creating a system for responding to potential missile threats in which Russia and
the United States and Europe will participate as equal partners.

The Russian side has made clear that it does not agree with the decision to
establish sites in Poland and the Czech Republic and reiterated its proposed
alternative. Yet, it appreciates the measures that the U.S. has proposed and
declared that if agreed and implemented such measures will be important and
useful in assuaging Russian concerns.

We agreed to intensify our dialogue after Sochi on issues concerning MD
cooperation both bilaterally and multilaterally.

– INF Treaty: Taking note of our Joint Statement on the INF Treaty at the
sixty-second session of the UN General Assembly, we will engage in a high-level
dialogue to analyze current and future intermediate-range and shorter-range
ballistic and cruise missile threats and inventory options for dealing with them.

– Arms Sales: We are fully committed to preventing the illicit trafficking or
destabilizing accumulations of conventional arms in order to contribute to
regional and international security and stability. The U.S. and Russia will
cooperate to ensure that transfers of such weapons do not contribute to the
development and enhancement of military capabilities which undermine these goals,
as well as to deny conventional arms to terrorists.

– Defense Technology Cooperation: We will finalize agreement on the Defense
Technology Cooperation Agreement. This agreement will facilitate U.S. and Russian
technical cooperation by providing a legal framework for a broad range of
cooperative projects, including counter-IED measures, and cooperation on other
critical military technologies to counter emerging threats to global security.

We are determined to work closely together on all the major global international
issues that confront us, including the pursuit of peace in the Middle East,
security and stability in North East Asia through the Six-Party process,
Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and elsewhere around the world, working with other
nations through the United Nations, as well as other international and regional
mechanisms, including the NATO-Russia Council and the G-8, to strengthen our
cooperation wherever possible.

We will work together to address serious differences in areas where our policies
do not coincide, including NATO expansion; development of a package solution that
helps restore the viability of the CFE regime and prompt ratification of the
Adapted CFE Treaty by all the States Parties; and certain military activities in
space.

Preventing the Spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction

We recognize the profound importance of preventing the spread of weapons of mass
destruction and their means of delivery. We must prevent such weapons from
falling into the hands of terrorists and those who support them. To this end, our
two countries will provide global leadership on a wide range of cooperative
efforts that will advance our common nonproliferation goals. These will include
new approaches focused on environmentally-friendly technologies that will support
economic growth, promote the expansion of nuclear energy, and create a viable
alternative to the spread of sensitive nuclear fuel cycle technologies.

– NPT: We confirm our continuing support for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation
of Nuclear Weapons, and are committed to its strengthening. We will cooperate in
preparing and ensuring a successful outcome of the 2010 NPT Review Conference.

– Declaration on Nuclear Energy and Nonproliferation: On July 3, 2007 we issued
a declaration on joint actions to strengthen the nuclear nonproliferation regime
and to promote the expansion of nuclear energy worldwide. We are working together
and with other nations to develop mutually beneficial approaches for economical
and reliable access to nuclear energy designed to permit states to gain the
benefits of nuclear energy and to create a viable alternative to their
acquisition of sensitive fuel cycle technologies. As nations with secure,
advanced nuclear capabilities, we will provide assistance to countries
considering nuclear energy in the development of the necessary infrastructure
(including nuclear reactors), consider ways for facilitating financing, and will
ensure, inter alia, provision of fresh fuel and spent fuel management.

– International Uranium Enrichment Center: The Russian Federation has announced,
and the U.S. has expressed support for, an initiative to create a global nuclear
energy infrastructure that would provide for effective access to the benefits of
nuclear energy. As the first step, Russia and Kazakhstan have established on the
territory of Russia the International Uranium Enrichment Center.

– Global Nuclear Energy Partnership: We are working with a wide range of other
states to develop the next generation of civil nuclear capability that will be
safe and secure, improve the environment, and reduce the risk of nuclear
proliferation. GNEP is aimed at accelerating the development and deployment of
advanced fuel cycle technologies including recycling that do not involve
separating plutonium. Such advanced technologies, when available, would
substantially reduce nuclear waste, simplify its disposition, and draw down
existing inventories of civilian spent fuel in a safe, secure and proliferation
resistant manner.

– INPRO: The Russian Federation and the U.S. support the IAEA Project on
Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) that has brought together
both the states with developed nuclear technology and states running small-scale
nuclear programs or just developing plans for peaceful use of nuclear energy.

– Reliable Access to Nuclear Fuel: Recognizing the need for an assured fuel
supply, both the U.S. and Russia have committed to creating reliable access to
nuclear fuel.

Reserve of low enriched uranium: The Russian Federation is working on the
establishment of a stockpile of low enriched uranium to be available to the IAEA
for ensuring reliable nuclear fuel supply.

Blending Down Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU): The U.S. is downblending 17.4 MT of
excess HEU from its defense programs and is pledging $50 million to support
establishment of an IAEA international fuel bank to ensure reliable supplies of
nuclear fuel.

– Iran: We remain committed to political and diplomatic efforts to find a
negotiated solution guaranteeing that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively for
peaceful purposes. We reiterate the necessity for Iran to comply with the
requirements of the IAEA Board of Governors and United Nations Security Council
Resolutions 1737, 1747, and 1803, including full and verifiable suspension of
enrichment-related and reprocessing activities. We affirm our commitment on the
way forward as expressed in the March 3, 2008 statement by the P5+1 Foreign
Ministers. Russia’s agreement to deliver nuclear fuel and take back spent fuel
from Iran’s nuclear reactor at Bushehr is a welcome step that provides Iran a
civil nuclear power capability without the need for the indigenous enrichment of
uranium or reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel.

– North Korea: We reaffirm our full support for the Six-Party Talks and will
continue our cooperation in accordance with the agreements reached at the
Six-Party Talks and the provisions of UNSC Resolution 1718 on the nuclear weapons
and nuclear programs of North Korea in order to achieve the ultimate goals of the
denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

– Agreement for Cooperation in Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy: We will sign in
the near future and work to bring into force the bilateral agreement between the
Russian Federation and the United States that was initialed on June 29, 2007.
This agreement will create the necessary legal basis for our cooperation in the
peaceful use of nuclear energy and will permit the expansion of such cooperation.
It will allow U.S. and Russian companies to partner in joint ventures, and
transfer nuclear materials, reactors and major reactor components between our two
countries. It is critical to facilitating U.S.-Russian further cooperation under
bilateral programs and initiatives in the field of peaceful use of nuclear
energy, including the Declaration on Nuclear Energy and Nonproliferation of July
3, 2007, and the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership.

– Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism: The Global Initiative we
launched in July 2006 has grown to include 67 participating countries plus the
European Union and the IAEA as observers. Participating states are cooperating in
strengthening their individual and collective capabilities to prevent terrorists
from acquiring nuclear materials, to deny them safe haven and financial and other
support, to share information on terrorist activities, to cooperate on law
enforcement matters, and to deal with the consequences of an attack. We will
continue to expand and strengthen this initiative and fully implement the agreed
program of work.

– Nuclear Security: We will complete our agreed-to nuclear security upgrades
under the Bratislava Nuclear Security Initiative by the end of 2008. We look
forward to these upgraded systems continuing to reliably serve their purpose for
the years to come. The Senior Interagency Group will report back annually on
implementation of the agreed actions under the Bratislava Initiative on emergency
response, best practices, security culture, research reactors, and nuclear
security upgrades. We will work together to share our nuclear security best
practices with other nations, including through international fora.

– Proliferation Security Initiative: We reaffirm our commitment to the
Proliferation Security Initiative, which constitutes an important means to deter
and prevent trafficking in WMD, their delivery means and related materials. We
will work cooperatively to prevent and disrupt proliferation finance, in
furtherance of the objectives of UNSCR 1540.

Combating Global Terrorism

Terrorism represents a grave danger to global security and stability, rule of
law, human rights, and democratic values. The combination of international
terrorism and the danger of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and
their means of delivery represents a profound threat to the security of the
United States, Russia, and other countries. We will work together to counter the
terrorist threat both bilaterally and within the framework of international
institutions.

– Bilateral Cooperation: We are partners in the global struggle against
terrorism. We will intensify our bilateral cooperation to include greater
exchange of information on terrorist groups and specific terrorist threats to the
security and prosperity of both countries. We will invigorate the U.S.-Russia
Counterterrorism Working Group in all areas, including efforts to dismantle
terrorist organizations and the networks that provide financial and material
support to them. We will also work together to disrupt the full range of
terrorist activities from recruitment, training, financing, and communications to
the plotting of specific attacks. We will work more closely to combat money
laundering and, in particular, the use of this practice by terrorists and
criminal organizations to circumvent sanctions and undermine the financial
system.

– Multilateral Initiatives: We will expand our cooperative efforts through
continued partnership in the United Nations and in other multilateral fora to
include the OSCE, NATO-Russia Council, and the G-8, and in expanding the Global
Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. We will advance our counterterrorism
goals at the United Nations, including through strengthening the Counterterrorism
Committee and the 1267 sanctions regime.

We will work together to achieve critical objectives, including blocking
terrorist groups from access to the financial resources they need to carry out
their terrible acts, building counterterrorism will and capacity among countries
around the world, promoting and strengthening international institutions that can
combat terror, preventing the free transit and movement of known or suspected
terrorists around the world, enhancing international law enforcement tools and
cooperation to counter terrorist groups, creating a global consensus that rejects
the use of terror for any reason, and actively engaging civil society and the
business community in anti-terrorist efforts.

Strategic Economic Cooperation

We acknowledge the great potential for expanding bilateral trade and investment
and the significant benefits this would bring to both of our economies. We
recognize that to realize this potential, both nations must follow the
fundamental principle of open market economies based on respect for the rule of
law both domestically and internationally. We endorse the growing dynamism
between our business communities and the profound importance of deepening
economic engagement through both private sector and government channels to
improve understanding and transparency, eliminate obstacles to trade and
investment, and strengthen the institutions that will build confidence, certainty
and predictability in our respective markets.

– WTO: The United States and Russia are committed to achieving WTO accession for
Russia as soon as possible and on commercially meaningful terms. We believe that
with a major effort, especially between now and June of this year, and with the
cooperation of other parties, and by meeting the terms for WTO accession, Russia
can qualify for membership and thus accession to the WTO can be achieved this
year. The United States is committed to working with Congress to achieve
legislation on Jackson-Vanik and Permanent Normal Trade Relations with Russia. In
conjunction with WTO negotiations, the U.S. Administration looks forward to
working with the U.S. Congress and the business community to enact this
legislation this year. In recognition of Russia’s growing role as a major
economy, the United States is also committed to helping Russia accede to the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and other global economic
institutions.

– Economic Dialogue: We will strengthen American-Russian economic and business
interaction, including through the creation within the next few months of new
business-to-business and government-to-government dialogues. These steps will
help create conditions that will enhance our trade and investment relations,
improve contacts between our business communities, and increase prosperity. Our
economic dialogue will aim to identify areas where our laws and regulations
impede trade and investment, improve the transparency of the business and
investment environment, and strengthen the rule of law, all critical to the needs
of a free-market economy and attracting new entrants to commerce between our two
countries.

– Bilateral Investment Treaty: The United States and Russia will advance our
efforts on a new Bilateral Investment Treaty to provide a stable and predictable
framework for investment to strengthen investor confidence, thereby benefiting
the business communities in both our countries.

– U.S.-Russia Energy Dialogue: Cooperation on energy remains an area of
significant potential for both our nations. We task the existing U.S.-Russia
Energy Working Group to find ways to enhance energy security and diversity of
energy supplies through economically viable routes and means of transport,
consistent with G-8 St. Petersburg principles. We will intensify U.S.-Russia
energy collaboration through a new, more structured energy dialogue that would
bring together the best Russian and American minds to focus on expanding energy
supplies in an environmentally-friendly manner while developing new lower-carbon
emission energy sources. We will take actions on collaboration in energy
efficiency initiatives, development of clean coal technologies, fuel cells
initiatives, within the framework of other R&D initiatives to compensate for
declining traditional hydrocarbon reserves.

We will work together with other producing, consuming, and transit countries to
strengthen the partnership among all interested parties and to enhance global
energy security on an open, transparent, and commercially-viable basis.

Combating Climate Change: In the area of combating climate change we will work
together with all major emitting economies to advance key elements of the
negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in
order to achieve a comprehensive post-2012 framework that includes greenhouse gas
limitation or reduction commitments by all major economies consistent with their
national circumstances and to address emissions in key sectors.

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