[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 12 (Monday, March 24, 1997)]
[Pages 389-390]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Russia-United States Joint Statement on Parameters on Future Reduction 
in Nuclear Forces

March 21, 1997

    Presidents Clinton and Yeltsin underscore that, with the end of the 
Cold War, major progress has been achieved with regard to strengthening 
strategic stability and nuclear security. Both the United States and 
Russia are significantly reducing their nuclear forces. Important steps 
have been taken to detarget strategic missiles. The START I Treaty has 
entered into force, and its implementation is ahead of schedule. 
Belarus, Kazakstan, and Ukraine are nuclear-weapon free. The Nuclear 
Non-Proliferation Treaty was indefinitely extended on May 11, 1995 and 
the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed by both the United 
States and Russia on September 24, 1996.
    In another historic step to promote international peace and 
security, President Clinton and President Yeltsin hereby reaffirm their 
commitment to take further concrete steps to reduce the nuclear danger 
and strengthen strategic stability and nuclear security. The Presidents 
have reached an understanding on further reductions in and limitations 
on strategic offensive arms that will substantially reduce the roles and 
risks of nuclear weapons as we move forward into the next century. 
Recognizing the fundamental significance of the ABM Treaty for these 
objectives, the Presidents have, in a separate joint statement, given 
instructions on demarcation between ABM systems and theater missile 
defense systems, which will allow for deployment of effective theater 
missile defense and prevent circumvention of the ABM Treaty.
    With the foregoing in mind, President Clinton and President Yeltsin 
have reached the following understandings.
    Once START II enters into force, the United States and Russia will 
immediately begin negotiations on a START III agreement, which will 
include, among other things, the following basic components:
<bullet>    Establishment, by December 31, 2007, of lower aggregate 
            levels of 2,000-2,500 strategic nuclear warheads for each of 
            the parties.
<bullet>    Measures relating to the transparency of strategic nuclear 
            warhead inventories and the destruction of strategic nuclear 
            warheads and any other jointly agreed technical and 
            organizational measures, to promote the irreversibility of 
            deep reductions including prevention of a rapid increase in 
            the number of warheads.
<bullet>    Resolving issues related to the goal of making the current 
            START treaties unlimited in duration.
<bullet>    Placement in a deactivated status of all strategic nuclear 
            delivery vehicles which will be eliminated under START II by 
            December 31, 2003, by removing their nuclear warheads or 
            taking other jointly agreed steps. The United States is 
            providing assistance through the Nunn-Lugar program to 
            facilitate early deactivation.
    The Presidents have reached an understanding that the deadline for 
the elimination of strategic nuclear delivery vehicles under the START 
II Treaty will be extended to December 31, 2007. The sides will agree on 
specific language to be submitted to the Duma

[[Page 390]]

and, following Duma approval of START II, to be submitted to the United 
States Senate.
    In this context, the Presidents underscore the importance of prompt 
ratification of the START II Treaty by the State Duma of the Russian 
Federation.
    The Presidents also agreed that in the context of START III 
negotiations their experts will explore, as separate issues, possible 
measures relating to nuclear long-range sea-launched cruise missiles and 
tactical nuclear systems, to include appropriate confidence-building and 
transparency measures.
    Taking into account all the understandings outlined above, and 
recalling their statement of May 10, 1995, the Presidents agreed the 
sides will also consider the issues related to transparency in nuclear 
materials.

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