THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

WASHINGTON, April 4 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is the text of a joint statement by President Clinton and President Yeltsin at the summit in Vancouver:

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, 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, encouragment 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 nonnuclear 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 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 pollutions 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. -0-
/U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/