THE WHITE HOUSE
  
                     Office of the Press Secretary
  
 For Immediate Release                               June 17, 1992
  
                  JOINT STATEMENT ON CHEMICAL WEAPONS
  
 President Bush and President Yeltsin stressed their continuing commitment
 to the global elimination of chemical weapons.  They expressed their
 conviction that the Geneva negotiations on a multilateral convention
 banning chemical weapons can be concluded by the end of August.  They
 agreed to instruct their representatives accordingly, and called on all
 participants in the negotiations to do their utmost to achieve this goal.
 They expressed the hope that a ministerial meeting could be convened
 in that timeframe to approve the convention.
  
 The two leaders underscored their support for the 1989 Wyoming Joint
 Memorandum on phased confidence-building measures in the area of chemical
 weapons destruction, and agreed to implement the new, cooperative
 provisions for detailed data exchanges and inspections included in the
 Joint Memorandum as soon as arrangements can be completed.  They also
 agreed that the June 1990 bilateral chemical weapons Destruction Agreement
 would be updated and brought into force promptly.
  
  
                            THE WHITE HOUSE
  
                     Office of the Press Secretary
  
 For Immediate Release                               June 17, 1992
  
                          FACT SHEET ON
                     CHEMICAL WEAPONS ISSUES
  
 Determined to promote increased openness and facilitate achievement of a
 comprehensive, world-wide prohibition on chemical weapons this summer, the
 U.S. and Russia agreed on several initiatives to increase cooperation
 between their two countries regarding chemical weapons and to assist the
 Russian Federation to destroy its chemical weapons stockpile.
  
 Confidence-Building Measures
  
 The United States and Russia agreed to exchange detailed data on their
 chemical weapons capabilities and carry out inspections at both declared
 and undeclared facilities.
  
      The sides will build on the activities already completed
      under Phase One of the 1989 Wyoming Memorandum of
      Understanding. Tn Phase One, the sides exchanged general
      information on locations of production facilities and
      storage sites, the aggregate size of their respective
      stockpiles and data on the types of agents and munitions.
      The sides also exchanged visits to several CW facilities and
      to relevant industrial chemical production sites.
  
      The decision to begin Phase Two will result in a more
      detailed information exchange, including specific
      inventories for each storage site, and information on plans
      for CW destruction, and additional inspections of chemical
      weapons-related sites.
  
 Destruction Assistance
  
 To support this initiative, both sides have begun discussions aimed at
 formulating specific projects to assist in the destruction of Russia's
 existing CW stockpile. An agreement detailing the nature of initial
 projects has been negotiated, with the goal of beginning implementation
 next month.
  
 To support Russian efforts, the United States will commit to provide
 financial assistance under the Nunn-Lugar Act for detailed planning and
 resources management to expedite the destruction process.  The United
 States will also assist Russia in obtaining appropriate U.S. contractor
 support for its demilitarization activities and planning.  For its part,
 Russia has already initiated funding for the first phase of its CW
 destruction program. Bilateral U.S.-Russian discussions to promote further
 cooperation will continue.
  
 Both countries agree that other nations should be encouraged to
 participate in assisting Russia in the rapid completion of this important
 task.
  
                          THE WHITE HOUSE
  
                     Office of the Press Secretary
  
 For Immediate Release                                  June 17, 1992
  
                JOINT STATEMENT ON CHEMICAL WEAPONS
  
 President Bush and President Yeltsin stressed their continuing commitment
 to the global elimination of chemical weapons.  They expressed their
 conviction that the Geneva negotiations on a multilateral convention
 banning chemical weapons can be concluded by the end of August.  They
 agreed to instruct their representatives accordingly, and called on all
 participants in the negotiations to do their utmost to achieve this goal.
 They expressed the hope that a ministerial meeting could be convened in
 that timeframe to approve the convention.
  
 The two leaders underscored their support for the 1989 Wyoming Joint
 Memorandum on phased confidence-building measures in the area of chemical
 weapons destruction, and agreed to implement the new, cooperative
 provisions for detailed data exchanges and inspections included in the
 Joint Memorandum as soon as arrangements can be completed.  They also
 agreed that the June 1990 bilateral chemical weapons Destruction Agreement
 would be updated and brought into force promptly.