Joint U.S.-Russian Statement On Missiles Treaty

Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
October 25, 2007

Joint U.S.-Russian Statement on the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles at the 62nd Session of the UN General Assembly

Following is the text of a joint statement by the United States and the Russian Federation issued on October 25, 2007 in New York.

Begin Text:

December 8, 2007 marks the twentieth anniversary of the signing of the Treaty between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles which banned ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. It is hard to overestimate the historic significance of this act: it marked an important, practical step in meeting our NPT Article VI obligation to pursue negotiations in good faith on nuclear disarmament. By late May 1991 the USSR and the U.S. destroyed all missiles of these two classes along with all supporting infrastructure under strict verification procedures.

We would like to underscore the contribution of this Treaty to decreased international tensions, particularly in Europe. The Russian Federation and the United States take this occasion to reaffirm our joint support for the INF Treaty.

We are concerned with the proliferation of intermediate- and shorter-range missiles. An ever-greater number of countries are acquiring missile production technologies and adding such missiles to their arsenals. At the same time, the Treaty, being of unlimited duration, is limiting the actions only of a few states, primarily Russia and the United States.

The Russian Federation and the United States call on all interested countries to discuss the possibility of imparting a global character to this important regime through the renunciation of ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers, leading to the destruction of any such missiles, and the cessation of associated programs. Such a renunciation would serve to strengthen the international nuclear missile nonproliferation effort.

Today the Treaty retains its long-standing importance. We believe that renunciation of ground-launched intermediate- and shorter-range missiles and their complete elimination in the world would increase the role of the Treaty as a model for strengthening international security.

The Russian Federation and the United States will work with all interested countries and continue to make every effort to prevent the proliferation of such missiles and strengthen peace in the world.

2007/932

Released on October 25, 2007

ENDS

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