[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[June 17, 1992]
[Page 964]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Joint Statement on Chemical Weapons

June 17, 1992
    President Bush and President Yeltsin stressed their continuing 
commitment to the global elimination of chemical weapons. They expressed 
their conviction that the Geneva negotiations on a multilateral 
convention banning chemical weapons can be concluded by the end of 
August. They agreed to instruct their representatives accordingly, and 
called on all participants in the negotiations to do their utmost to 
achieve this goal. They expressed the hope that a ministerial meeting 
could be convened in that timeframe to approve the convention.
    The two leaders underscored their support for the 1989 Wyoming Joint 
Memorandum on phased confidence-building measures in the area of 
chemical weapons destruction, and agreed to implement the new, 
cooperative provisions for detailed data exchanges and inspections 
included in the Joint Memorandum as soon as arrangements can be 
completed. They also agreed that the June 1990 bilateral chemical 
weapons Destruction Agreement would be updated and brought into force 
promptly.