[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book I)]
[March 21, 1997]
[Pages 341-342]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Russia-United States Joint Statement Concerning the Anti-Ballistic 
Missile Treaty
March 21, 1997

    President Clinton and President Yeltsin, expressing their commitment 
to strengthening strategic stability and international security, 
emphasizing the importance of further reductions in strategic offensive 
arms, and recognizing the fundamental significance of the Anti-Ballistic 
Missile (ABM) Treaty for these objectives as well as the necessity for 
effective theater missile defense (TMD) systems, consider it their 
common task to preserve the ABM Treaty, prevent circumvention of it, and 
enhance its viability.
    The Presidents reaffirm the principles of their May 10, 1995 Joint 
Statement, which will serve as a basis for reaching agreement on 
demarcation between ABM systems and theater missile defense systems, 
including:
    --The United States and Russia are each committed to the ABM Treaty, 
        a cornerstone of strategic stability.
    --Both sides must have the option to establish and to deploy 
        effective theater missile defense systems. Such activity must 
        not lead to violation or circumvention of the ABM Treaty.
    --Theater missile defense systems may be deployed by each side which 
        (1) will not pose a realistic threat to the strategic nuclear 
        force of the other side and (2) will not be tested to give such 
        systems that capability.
    --Theater missile defense systems will not be deployed by the sides 
        for use against each other.
    --The scale of deployment--in number and geographic scope--of 
        theater missile defense systems by either side will be 
        consistent with theater ballistic missile programs confronting 
        that side.
    In this connection, the United States and Russia have recently 
devoted special attention to developing measures aimed at assuring 
confidence of the Parties that their ballistic missile defense 
activities will not lead to circumvention of the ABM Treaty, to which 
the Parties have repeatedly reaffirmed their adherence.
    The efforts undertaken by the Parties in this regard are reflected 
in the Joint Statement of the Presidents of the United States and Russia 
issued on September 28, 1994, as well as in that of May 10, 1995. 
Important decisions were made at the United States-Russia summit meeting 
on April 23, 1996.
    In order to fulfill one of the primary obligations under the ABM 
Treaty--the obligation not to give non-ABM systems capabilities to 
counter strategic ballistic missiles and not to test them in an ABM 
mode--the Presidents have instructed their respective delegations to 
complete the preparation of an agreement to ensure fulfillment of this 
requirement.
    In Standing Consultative Commission (SCC) negotiations on the 
problem of demarcation between TMD systems and ABM systems, the United 
States and Russia, together with Belarus, Kazakstan and Ukraine, 
successfully finished negotiations on demarcation with respect to lower-
velocity TMD systems. The Presidents note that agreements were also 
reached in 1996 with respect to confidence-building measures and ABM 
Treaty succession. The Presidents have instructed their experts to 
complete an agreement as soon as possible for prompt signature on 
higher-velocity TMD systems.

[[Page 342]]

    Neither side has plans before April 1999 to flight test, against a 
ballistic target missile, TMD interceptor missiles subject to the 
agreement on demarcation with respect to higher velocity TMD systems. 
Neither side has plans for TMD systems with interceptor missiles faster 
than 5.5 km/sec for land-based and air-based systems or 4.5 km/sec for 
sea-based systems. Neither side has plans to test TMD systems against 
target missiles with MIRVs or against reentry vehicles deployed or 
planned to be deployed on strategic ballistic missiles.
    The elements for the agreement on higher-velocity TMD systems are:
    The velocity of the ballistic target missiles will not 
            exceed 5 km/sec.
    The flight range of the ballistic target missiles will not 
            exceed 3500 km.
    The sides will not develop, test, or deploy space-based TMD 
            interceptor missiles or components based on other physical 
            principles that are capable of substituting for such 
            interceptor missiles.
    The sides will exchange detailed information annually on TMD 
            plans and programs.
    The Presidents noted that TMD technology is in its early stages and 
continues to evolve. They agreed that developing effective TMD while 
maintaining a viable ABM Treaty will require continued consultations. To 
this end, they reaffirm that their representatives to the Standing 
Consultative Commission will discuss, as foreseen under the ABM Treaty, 
any questions or concerns either side may have regarding TMD activities, 
including matters related to the agreement to be completed on higher-
velocity systems, which will be based on this joint statement by the two 
Presidents, with a view to precluding violation or circumvention of the 
ABM Treaty. These consultations will be facilitated by the agreed 
detailed annual information exchange on TMD plans and programs.
    The Presidents also agreed that there is considerable scope for 
cooperation in theater missile defense. They are prepared to explore 
integrated cooperative defense efforts, inter alia, in the provision of 
early warning support for TMD activities, technology cooperation in 
areas related to TMD, and expansion of the ongoing program of 
cooperation in TMD exercises.
    In resolving the tasks facing them, the Parties will act in a spirit 
of cooperation, mutual openness, and commitment to the ABM Treaty.

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