    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [July 22, 2001]
    [Page 895]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 895]]

    Joint Statement by President George W. Bush and President Vladimir
    Vladimirovich Putin
    July 22, 2001

        In keeping with the spirit of our Ljubljana discussions, we welcome
    the initiative of the American and Russian business communities to
    provide new impetus to our bilateral trade and investment relations
    through the creation of the ``Russian American Business Dialogue.''
        We expect the Dialogue to perform three key functions: expand
    contact between our two business communities; identify areas where laws,
    regulations and practices impede trade and investment; and provide a
    forum where business interests could be raised with our respective
    governments. We seek to promote economic reform, a transparent and
    predictable investment climate and rule of law, and to work towards the
    Russian Federation's early accession to the WTO.
        The Dialogue will be open to interested American and Russian
    companies and business associations. We hope thereby to encourage
    participation by large, medium, and especially small enterprises from a
    broad cross-section of industry sectors, including, in particular,
    technology businesses. We welcome the offer of the American Chamber of
    Commerce in Russia, the U.S.-Russia Business Council, the Russian Union
    of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, and the Russian-American Business
    Council to steer this effort.
        We embrace the offer of the Dialogue organizers to prepare formal
    reports of the Dialogue for use by the governments of the Russian
    Federation and the United States. We affirm our commitment to send
    cabinet level representatives to receive the first formal report of the
    Dialogue at a meeting of the Dialogue early next year.

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