    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
    [July 15, 2006]
    [Pages 1401-1403]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Joint Statement by President George W. Bush and President Vladimir V.
    Putin of Russia Announcing the Global
    Initiative To Combat Nuclear Terrorism
    July 15, 2006

        The United States of America and Russia are committed to combating
    the threat of nuclear terrorism, which is one of the most dangerous
    international security challenges we face.

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        Today we announce our decision to launch the Global Initiative to
    Combat Nuclear Terrorism. Building on our earlier work, the Global
    Initiative reflects our intention to pursue the necessary steps with all
    those who share our views to prevent the acquisition, transport, or use
    by terrorists of nuclear materials and radioactive substances or
    improvised explosive devices using such materials, as well as hostile
    actions against nuclear facilities. These objectives are reflected in
    the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear
    Terrorism, the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material
    and Nuclear Facilities as amended in 2005, the Protocol to the
    Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of
    Maritime Navigation, and other international legal frameworks relevant
    to combating nuclear terrorism.
        The United States and Russia call upon like-minded nations to expand
    and accelerate efforts that develop partnership capacity to combat
    nuclear terrorism on a determined and systematic basis. Together with
    other participating countries and interacting closely with the
    International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), we will take steps to improve
    participants' capabilities to: ensure accounting, control, and physical
    protection of nuclear material and radioactive substances, as well as
    security of nuclear facilities; detect and suppress illicit trafficking
    or other illicit activities involving such materials, especially
    measures to prevent their acquisition and use by terrorists; respond to
    and mitigate the consequences of acts of nuclear terrorism; ensure
    cooperation in the development of technical means to combat nuclear
    terrorism; ensure that law enforcement takes all possible measures to
    deny safe haven to terrorists seeking to acquire or use nuclear
    materials; and strengthen our respective national legal frameworks to
    ensure the effective prosecution of, and the certainty of punishment
    for, terrorists and those who facilitate such acts.
        We stress that consolidated efforts and cooperation to combat the
    threat of nuclear terrorism will be carried out in accordance with
    international law and national legislation. This Global Initiative
    builds on the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of
    Nuclear Terrorism, which Russia and the United States were the first to
    sign on September 14, 2005. This unique international treaty provides
    for broad areas of cooperation between states for the purpose of
    detecting, preventing, suppressing, and investigating acts of nuclear
    terrorism.
        One of our priority objectives remains full implementation by all
    countries of the provisions of UNSCR 1540, which was adopted in 2004 as
    a result of joint efforts by the United States and Russia. This
    resolution is an important non-proliferation instrument aimed at
    preventing weapons of mass destruction (WMD) from entering ``black
    market'' networks and, above all, keeping WMD and related material from
    falling into the hands of terrorists. The full implementation by all
    countries of UNSCR 1373, including the sharing of information pertaining
    to the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism and their facilitation,
    also remains a priority.
        We note the importance of IAEA activities in implementing the
    Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and
    Facilities, as amended and its Plan entitled ``Physical Nuclear
    Security--Measures to Protect Against Nuclear Terrorism,'' and we
    reaffirm our willingness to continue supporting and working with the
    IAEA in this area to enhance the effectiveness of national systems for
    accounting, control, physical protection of nuclear materials and
    radioactive substances, and the security of civilian nuclear facilities,
    and, where necessary, to establish such systems.
        We trust that, through their participation in this new Global
    Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, all countries that share our
    common goals of suppressing and mitigating the consequences of acts of
    nuclear terrorism will--on a voluntary basis and on

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    the basis of independent responsibility of each country for the steps
    taken within its jurisdiction--reinforce the joint efforts to increase
    international cooperation in combating this threat.
        The United States and the Russian Federation reaffirm that issues
    related to safeguarding nuclear weapons and other nuclear facilities,
    installations and materials used for military purposes remain strictly
    the national prerogative of the nuclear weapons state parties to the
    Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT), for which they bear
    special responsibility. The Joint Statement on Nuclear Security, which
    we adopted in Bratislava, noted that while the security of nuclear
    facilities in the United States and Russian Federation meets current
    requirements, these requirements must be constantly enhanced to counter
    evolving terrorist threats. We trust that the other nuclear weapon state
    parties to the NPT will also ensure a proper level of protection for
    their nuclear facilities, while taking into account the constantly
    changing nature of the terrorist threat.
        As part of this initiative, we intend to work with countries
    possessing sensitive nuclear technologies to reaffirm their commitment
    to take all necessary measures to ensure proper protection and
    safeguarding of nuclear facilities and relevant materials in their
    territory.
        We will be prepared to work with all those who share our views to
    strengthen mechanisms for multilateral and bilateral cooperation to
    suppress acts of nuclear terrorism, with a view to practical
    implementation of the measures provided for in the International
    Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism as well as
    in other relevant international legal frameworks.

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