ALBRIGHT LETTER ON EARLY DEACTIVATION

September 26, 1997




THE SECRETARY OF STATE
WASHINGTON

Dear Mr. Minister:

On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I have the honor to accept the proposal set forth in your letter of this date to conclude, in connection with the Treaty Between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms of January 3, 1993, hereinafter referred to as the Treaty, agreement between our Governments on deactivation of certain strategic nuclear delivery vehicles.

Under this agreement our Governments would agree that upon entry into force of the Treaty, the United States of America and the Russian Federation shall deactivate, by December 31, 2003, all strategic nuclear delivery vehicles which will be eliminated under the Treaty, by removing their nuclear reentry vehicles or taking other jointly agreed steps.

Immediately upon entry into force of the Treaty, the experts of the Parties will begin work simultaneously both on the understandings concerning methods of deactivation as well as parameters of an appropriate program of assistance of the United States of America in implementation of the deactivation mentioned above. Practical steps to implement deactivation will be undertaken on the basis of these understandings.

The Government of the United States of America notes the statement of the Russian Federation position on the issue of START III entry into force.

This response together with your letter shall constitute agreement between the Governments of the United States of America and the Russian Federation, which shall enter into force on the date of entry into force of the Treaty and shall remain in force as long as the Treaty remains in force.

Please accept, Mr. Minister, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Sincerely,

Madeline K. Albright


    The Honorable Yevgeniy Maksimovich Primakov,
      Minister of Foreign Affairs of,
        The Russian Federation, New York.