GCC TEXT: JOINT STATEMENT ON TRANSPORT OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL
(Text: White House release) (280)

(The following joint statement was released July 16 by the White House
Office of the Vice President following the seventh meeting of the
U.S.-Russian Joint Commission on Economic and Technical Cooperation,
also known as the Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission.)

JOINT STATEMENT ON NUCLEAR MATERIAL PROTECTION, CONTROL, AND
ACCOUNTING DURING TRANSPORTATION

On the occasion of the seventh meeting of the U.S.-Russian Joint
Commission on Economic and Technological Cooperation (the
Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission) in Moscow on July 15-16, 1996, the
Russian Ministry of Atomic Energy and the United States Department of
Energy reaffirmed their commitment to jointly cooperate to ensure the
highest possible standards of nuclear material protection, control,
and accounting in accordance with the Agreement on Control,
Accounting, and Physical Protection dated September 2, 1993.  The U.S.
and Russian sides noted the progress that has been made in this area. 
The sides consider that one of the priority issues regarding
weapon-usable nuclear material protection, control, and accounting is
providing the highest level of security during transportation.  The
sides note the importance of continuing cooperation through a joint
project to ensure the secure transportation of nuclear material, and
the need to develop a set of recommendations for further security
enhancements.  The U.S. and Russian sides decided to expand the
ongoing cooperative program of nuclear material protection, control,
and accounting to include improvements required to maintain the
highest level of security for nuclear material during transportation.

Hazel R. O'Leary                 Viktor N. Mikhailov
SECRETARY OF ENERGY OF THE       MINISTER FOR ATOMIC ENERGY
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA         THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

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Moscow, July 16, 1996
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