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In Connection with the White House Statement on Cooperation with Russia in the Sphere of Reducing the Threat of Proliferation of WMD

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

December 29, 2001

The Bush Administration has publicly confirmed the readiness of the US to further develop cooperation with Russia in reducing the threat of proliferation of mass destruction weapons declaring continued implementation of the corresponding bilateral programs.

The Russian side welcomes this statement of the White House and views it as a real step toward forming a new strategic relationship between the two countries. The Russian Federation consistently adheres to the line for strengthening the regimes of non-proliferation of which a key element is the interaction with the US in the sphere of elimination and disposal of the mass destruction weapons being reduced under treaty obligations and means of delivery thereof. Unfortunately, non-proliferation problems are becoming more relevant in the light of the unilateral decision of the US to withdraw from the ABM Treaty.