[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 36 (Monday, September 7, 1998)]
[Page 1694]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Joint Statement on the Exchange of Information on Missile Launches and 
Early Warning

September 2, 1998

    Taking into account the continuing worldwide proliferation of 
ballistic missiles and of missile technologies, the need to minimize 
even further the consequences of a false missile attack warning and 
above all, to prevent the possibility of a missile launch caused by such 
false warning, the President of the United States and the President of 
the Russian Federation have reached agreement on a cooperative 
initiative between the United States and Russia regarding the exchange 
of information on missile launches and early warning.
    The objective of the initiative is the continuous exchange of 
information on the launches of ballistic missiles and space launch 
vehicles derived from each side's missile launch warning system, 
including the possible establishment of a center for the exchange of 
missile launch data operated by the United States and Russia and 
separate from their respective national centers. As part of this 
initiative, the United States and Russia will also examine the 
possibility of establishing a multilateral ballistic missile and space 
launch vehicle pre-launch notification regime in which other states 
could voluntarily participate.
    The Presidents have directed their experts to develop as quickly as 
possible for approval in their respective countries a plan for advancing 
this initiative toward implementation as soon as practicable.
    Russia, proceeding from its international obligations relating to 
information derived from missile attack warning systems, will reach 
agreement regarding necessary issues relating to the implementation of 
this initiative.

                                                                        
  The President of the  United States of    The President of the Russian
                 America:                            Federation:        
                                                                        
            William J. Clinton                      Boris Yeltsin       
                                                                        

Moscow
September 2, 1998

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