Russia: Full-Text Documents: The Nuclear Cities Initiative

The White House Office of the Vice President released in Moscow the following text of a joint statement by Vice President Al Gore and Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Sergei Kiriyenko July 24, 1998.)

JOINT STATEMENT ON U.S.-RUSSIAN COOPERATION TO IMPLEMENT THE NUCLEAR CITIES INITIATIVE

U.S.-Russian cooperation in the nuclear field is becoming a permanent part of the process of achieving nuclear security in the world, in the broader sense.

Nuclear disarmament is associated with a number of socioeconomic factors, which should be considered in the efforts of government activities to develop the positive potential of this process, including the problem of finding worthwhile employment in the civilian sector of the economy for personnel formerly employed in the nuclear complex.

In this regard, the Initiative by the U.S. Department of Energy and Minatom of Russia to establish alternative peaceful production, which is connected with the economic diversification and redirection of facilities of the nuclear complex, is viewed as highly important.  Within the framework of the Initiative, work is under way to identify commercially viable projects to produce civilian goods and services and attract
investments in such projects.  This activity is known as the "Nuclear Cities Initiative."

The parties note that the Initiative is envisioned as an equal partnership, which is gaining increasing support in both government and business communities in our countries, and express the hope that it will result in alternative economic opportunity in the nuclear cities.

The parties acknowledge that joint activities conducted under this Initiative will require careful consideration and long-term commitment. In this connection, we direct our respective organizations to immediately begin the development of a government-to-government agreement which establishes the formal framework for the Initiative, and to start in 1998 the implementation of pilot projects leading to
economic diversification, including the creation of new civilian sector jobs, in the nuclear cities.

Vice President of the
United States of America:

__________________________

Chairman of the Government
of the Russian Federation:

__________________________
MOSCOW, JULY 24, 1998 

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This material is produced independently for NTI by the Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2002 by MIIS.

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