ACCESSION NUMBER:276091
FILE ID:SFF710
DATE:04/04/93
1ITLE:SSD INITIATIVES WITH RUSSIA (04/04/93)
TEXT:*93040410.SFF
SSD INITIATIVES WITH RUSSIA

(Text:  Fact Sheet, Vancouver Summit)  (350)
(The White House released the following fact sheet entitled "Safe, Secure
Dismantlement (SSD) Initiatives with Russia" at the U.S.-Russian Summit in
Vancouver April 4.)

The Nunn-Lugar legislation, as amended, provides up to $800 million in
DOD funds to assist in the safe and secure transportation, storage, and
dismantlement of nuclear, chemical and other weapons; and to establish
safeguards against their proliferation.

We have pledged at least $400 million in Nunn-Lugar assistance for Russia.
Previously, we signed an umbrella agreement that provides the legal
framework for the provision of assistance, and 7 implementing agreements
providing up to $150 million in assistance.  These agreements provide for:

-- armored blankets to enhance the safety and security of weapons and
missile material during transport;

-- safety and security enhancements for rail cars used in transporting
nuclear weapons and missile material;

-- emergency response equipment to upgrade capabilities to respond in case
of a nuclear accident;

-- transportation and storage containers for missile material removed from
dismantled nuclear weapons;

-- assistance in the design of a storage facility for missile material;
-- assistance in chemical weapons destruction; and
-- establishment of a science center to employ former weapons scientists.
Last week, we concluded in Moscow three additional SSD agreements which
provide up to;

-- $130 million to assist in the elimination of strategic nuclear delivery
vehicles -- ballistic missiles, submarines, and heavy bombers.  This
assistance will help to defray the costs to Russia of carrying out
reductions in these forces.

-- $75 million to procure construction and operating equipment for a missile
material storage facility.  These funds are designed to permit Russian
plans for warhead eliminations to continue on schedule.

-- $10 million in assistance to help establish national and facility-level
systems for material control and accountability and for physical protection
of civil nuclear material.  Such systems will help to guard against the
potential loss or proliferation of nuclear material.

These agreements demonstrate the importance the Clinton administration
attaches to the SSD program as an integral part of its broad policy of
cooperation and partnership with Russia.

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