[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 29 (Monday, July 24, 2006)]
[Pages 1345-1346]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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.
    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;

[[Page 1346]]

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 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.