    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
    [October 23, 1995]
    [Pages 1663-1664]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Joint Statement With President Yeltsin on Nuclear Materials Security
    October 23, 1995

        Presidents Clinton and Yeltsin noted the importance they attach to
    ensuring the security of nuclear weapons and nuclear materials,
    maintaining effective control over them, and combating illegal
    trafficking in nuclear materials. They underscored their strong support
    for the efforts underway in the Russian Federation and the United States
    to achieve these objectives, including the rapidly growing range of
    cooperative activities being pursued jointly by US and Russian experts.
    The Presidents noted with satisfaction that bilateral and multilateral
    cooperation in these areas has grown rapidly over the past year and
    includes joint activities on law enforcement, customs, intelligence
    liaison and on-the-ground cooperation to improve nuclear materials
    security at ten sites, protecting tons of nuclear material. The
    Presidents also welcomed cooperative efforts to improve the security of
    nuclear weapons in transport or storage in connection with their
    dismantlement.
        The two Presidents welcomed the joint report on steps that have been
    accomplished and additional steps that should be taken to ensure the
    security of nuclear materials, prepared by the Gore-Chernomyrdin
    Commission in implementation of the May 10 summit declaration on
    nonproliferation. This report outlines current and planned U.S.-Russian
    programs of bilateral cooperation that will result in broad improve-

    [[Page 1664]]

    ments in nuclear materials security, including several important sites
    with weapons-usable nuclear material, increased security for nuclear
    weapons in connection with their dismantlement, and construction of a
    safe and secure long-term storage facility for fissile material from
    dismantled weapons. The Presidents endorsed speedy implementation of
    these plans and directed that they be expanded and accelerated to the
    greatest extent possible.

    Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this statement.