[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 29, Number 14 (Monday, April 12, 1993)]
[Pages 545-547]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Vancouver Declaration: Joint Statement of the Presidents of the United 
States and the Russian Federation

 April 4, 1993

    Having met in Vancouver, Canada on April 3-4, President Bill Clinton 
of the United States of America and President Boris Yeltsin of the 
Russian Federation declared their firm commitment to a dynamic and 
effective U.S.-Russian partnership that strengthens international 
stability. The two presidents approved a comprehensive strategy of 
cooperation to promote democracy, security, and peace. President Yeltsin 
stressed his firm commitment to fostering democratization, the rule of 
law, and a market economy. As the United States moves to reinvigorate 
its own economy, President Clinton assured President Yeltsin of active 
American support for the Russian people as they pursue their own chosen 
course of political and economic reform.
    The Presidents agreed on a new package of bilateral economic 
programs and measures to address Russia's immediate human needs and 
contribute to the building of necessary structures for successful 
transition to a market economy. They recognized the critical importance 
of creating favorable external conditions in which the Russian economy 
can realize its maximum potential. In this connection, the Presidents 
expressed their determination to promote access to each other's markets, 
cooperation in defense conversion,

[[Page 546]]

removal of impediments to trade and investment, and resumption of U.S. 
food exports to Russia on a stable long-term basis.
    President Yeltsin informed President Clinton about the Russian 
program of economic reforms. In particular, President Yeltsin stressed 
such key questions of the Russian reform as the necessity of combatting 
inflation and achieving financial stabilization by improvement of the 
banking system. He also emphasized the importance of privatization, 
encouragement of entrepreneurship, structural policy, and social 
support. In this context, the Presidents discussed the role of the 
international community in supporting specific elements of the reform 
program.
    The Presidents agreed that Russia's harmonious integration into the 
community of democratic nations and the world economy is essential. They 
therefore called for accelerated G-7 development of substantial and 
effective new economic initiatives to support political and economic 
reform in Russia. In this connection, the Presidents welcomed the 
extraordinary meeting of the foreign and finance ministers of the G-7 
countries and the Russian Federation scheduled for April 14-15 in Tokyo. 
Presidents Clinton and Yeltsin also expressed their satisfaction with 
the successful conclusion of negotiations in Paris on the rescheduling 
of the international debt of the former USSR. The United States 
announced its support for Russia's intention to become a full member of 
GATT and to begin, in the near future, official talks on the conditions 
of Russia's accession to GATT.
    The Presidents agreed to give fresh impetus to development of the 
U.S.-Russian relationship in all its dimensions. To coordinate and 
direct this effort and to activate a comprehensive and intensive 
dialogue, they agreed on measures to improve the mechanism for mutual 
consultations. In particular, working groups will be set up involving 
high-level officials of both governments with broad authority in the 
areas of economic and scientific and technological cooperation. The 
Presidents agreed to establish a United States-Russian Commission on 
technological cooperation in the fields of energy and space. They intend 
to designate Prime Minister Chernomyrdin and Vice President Gore to head 
this commission.
    The leaders of the United States and Russia attached great 
importance to the prevention of the proliferation of weapons of mass 
destruction and their delivery systems. They reaffirmed their 
determination to strengthen the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), 
make it universal, and give it an unlimited duration. The Presidents 
stressed their expectation that all countries of the former USSR which 
are not already NPT members will promptly confirm their adherence to the 
treaty as non-nuclear weapon states. They urged the Democratic Peoples 
Republic of Korea to comply fully with its IAEA safeguards obligations, 
which remain in force, and to retract its announcement of withdrawal 
from the NPT.
    The Presidents agreed that efforts of the United States and Russia 
will be directed toward the entry into force of the START I Treaty and 
the ratification of the START II Treaty as soon as possible. They 
affirmed that the United States and Russia intend to cooperate, on the 
basis of their mutual interest, in environmentally safe elimination of 
nuclear forces pursuant to relevant arms control agreements, in 
construction of a storage facility for nuclear materials and in the 
controlling, accounting, and physical protection of nuclear materials. 
The United States reiterated its readiness to provide assistance to 
Russia for these purposes. The Presidents called for prompt conclusion, 
on mutually acceptable terms, of the negotiations on an agreement on the 
conversion and sale for peaceful purposes of nuclear materials removed 
from nuclear weapons.
    The Presidents underscored their determination to broaden 
interaction and consultations between Russia and the United States in 
the areas of defense and security. They instructed their Ministers of 
Defense to explore further possibilities in that direction.
    The Presidents noted the progress achieved at the recent United 
States-Russian talks on chemical weapons in Geneva. They welcomed the 
progress made in preparing the protocols necessary to submit the 
``Agreement on Destruction and Non-Production of Chemical Weapons'' of 
June 1, 1990 for approval by the legislative bodies of the Russian 
Federation and the United States. They also

[[Page 547]]

welcomed progress achieved in developing agreement on the preparation 
and implementation of the second phase of the Wyoming Memorandum of 
Understanding of September 23, 1989 regarding a bilateral verification 
experiment and data exchange related to prohibition of chemical weapons.
    The Presidents agreed that it is necessary to achieve the earliest 
possible resolution of questions about cooperation in non-proliferation 
of missiles and missile technology in all its aspects, in accordance 
with the principles of existing international agreements. They also 
decided to work together to remove obstacles impeding Russia's access to 
the global market in high technology and related services. The 
Presidents agreed that negotiations on a multilateral nuclear test ban 
should commence at an early date, and that their governments would 
consult with each other accordingly.
    Mindful of their countries' responsibilities as permanent members of 
the UN Security Council, the Presidents affirmed that U.S.-Russian 
cooperation is essential to the peaceful resolution of international 
conflicts and the promotion of democratic values, the protection of 
human rights, and the solution of global problems, such as environmental 
pollution, terrorism, and narcotics trafficking. The United States and 
Russia stressed their determination to improve the effectiveness of 
peacemaking and peacekeeping capabilities of the United Nations, the 
CSCE, and other appropriate regional organizations.
    Recognizing that the problem of mistreatment of minorities and 
ethnic communities is increasingly a source of international 
instability, the Presidents stressed the critical importance of full 
protection for individual human rights, including those of ethnic 
Russian and all other minorities on the territory of the former Soviet 
Union. They affirmed their commitment to the peaceful resolution of 
conflicts in that region on the basis of respect for the independence, 
territorial integrity, and security of all member states of the UN and 
the CSCE.
    The Presidents announced their intention to expand and improve their 
joint work in the area of environmental protection. They agreed to 
coordinate on joint ecological measures to be taken and research to be 
done, and on support for financing agreed programs. The Presidents 
agreed that the level of mutual openness achieved makes it possible to 
proceed with new forms of cooperation in science and technology, 
including programs in the field of outer space. The two countries will 
further develop bilateral cooperation in fisheries in the Bering Sea, 
the North Pacific, and the Sea of Okhotsk, including for the purpose of 
preservation and reproduction of living marine resources and of 
monitoring the ecosystem in the Northern Pacific. The Presidents further 
agreed to expand significantly their contacts, exchanges, and 
cooperation in the areas of culture, education, the humanities, and the 
mass media.
    The joint efforts of both countries have succeeded in establishing a 
new character for Russian-American relations. The Presidents reaffirmed 
the principles and provisions of the Camp David Declaration of February 
1, 1992 and the Charter of U.S.-Russian Partnership and Friendship of 
June 17, 1992 as a basis for relations between the two countries.
    Presidents Clinton and Yeltsin expressed their deep appreciation to 
Prime Minister Mulroney and the people of Canada for hosting their 
meeting in Vancouver. With a view to accelerating the development of 
U.S.-Russian partnership, the Presidents agreed to meet regularly at the 
summit level. President Yeltsin invited President Clinton to visit 
Russia. President Clinton accepted the invitation with appreciation.