[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,
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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
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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.