Tracking Number: 397481
Title: "Dialogue on Proposed Sale of Nuclear Reactors to Iran Will Continue." Remarks by Vice President Al Gore and Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin regarding their
ongoing discussions on Russia's sale of nuclear reactors to Iran. Translation of Prime Minister Chernomyrdin's remarks provided by EUR505. (950703)
Date: 19950703
Text:
*EUR102
07/03/95 DIALOGUE ON PROPOSED SALE OF NUCLEAR REACTORS TO IRAN WILL CONTINUE (Transcript: Gore-Chernomyrdin Q&A at press conference) (2350) Moscow -- Questions arising at the June 30 joint press conference of Vice President Al Gore and Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin covered a wide range of issues, including Russia's proposed nuclear reactor sale to Iran, the post-COCOM status of the sale of conventional arms to Iran, the Jackson-Vanik amendment, dismantlement of weapons in the U.S. and Russia, U.S. payment to Russia for highly-enriched uranium, and joint ventures in the oil sector.
Following is a transcript of the question and answer session, released June 30 by the White House Office of the Vice President:
(Begin transcript) Q: (Wall Street Journal) Question for both Prime Minister Chernomyrdin and for Vice President Gore. Mr. Chernomyrdin first, please: you have not mentioned your discussion about Russia's plans to go ahead with construction of nuclear reactors in Iran. Could you please tell us what the content of the discussions was, and what decision you have reached?
PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN: (In Russian) VICE PRESIDENT GORE: We had a very important and useful exchange of ideas on this topic. We were asked by our two presidents to establish a dialogue on this topic that would enable, among other things, the United States to provide information on a confidential basis to explain in detail the basis for our concerns, and we agreed that this dialogue must continue. In addition to agreeing to continue this dialogue that we have been tasked with by our two presidents, we discussed in great detail all related matters and our common agreement that we will cooperate in order to make certain that nothing is transferred which can lead to the development of nuclear weapons. The subject of the ongoing dialogue will include exactly what it is that falls into that category, and that discussion is still going on. We made progress, and we agreed to continue that dialogue.
Q: (In Russian) PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN: (In Russian) Q: (In Russian) PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN: (In Russian) VICE PRESIDENT GORE: Mr. Prime Minister, I, of course, have absolutely no comment on the earlier question that you answered because it is a Russian matter, but I would note in passing that the members of President Clinton's Cabinet who have accompanied me here on this journey have asked to be described as power ministers in our government. (laughter)
Q: (In Russian: Finansovye Izvestiya, concerning the degree of progress in removing barriers to trade between the U.S. and Russia; last year there were approximately 230 laws or regulations obstructing bilateral trade, and President Clinton promised President Yeltsin that he would work with the Congress to reduce this number sharply. How many such regulations remain in force today? And what is the status of the Jackson-Vanik amendment?)
VICE PRESIDENT GORE: Well, I would point out that during this round of the Commission's meetings, a number of obstacles have been removed right before your very eyes -- the invitation of Russia to join the post-COCOM regime as a founding member, for example, has the legal effect of removing a number of barriers. Similarly, the invitation to Russia to join the Missile Technology Control Regime has the same effect. We also have one of our top experts from our government living and working here in Moscow full time, addressing, in cooperation with the government of Victor Stepanovich and President Yeltsin, all of the steps that need to be taken in order for Russia to join the World Trade Organization at the earliest possible time, and we support that move very strongly.
Now, you asked specifically about the Jackson-Vanik amendment. That has been on the books for many years, and I must tell you that the difficulty in changing that law still persists. But President Clinton has suspended its operation, and it does not have any effect. It is correct that if this suspension were made permanent in our law, it would have a beneficial impact on the attitude of investors in Russia looking to the long term. And we are continuing to address this problem.
Finally, let me say that sometimes the emphasis on specific laws that are said to impede access to U.S. markets can obscure the big picture -- you know the saying, I am sure: don't miss the forest for the trees. The forest in this case is a huge increase in the volume of exports from Russia to the United States. Over the last few years, the increase of Russian exports to the industrial world has been 23 percent; the increase to the United States has been 300 percent. What was a trade deficit in the bilateral relationship is now a significant trade surplus for Russia. We are addressing barriers to access on both sides of the relationship and we are making progress on both sides of the relationship.
Q: (Los Angeles Times) This is a question for Vice President Gore and Prime Minister Chernomyrdin: I would like to ask what are Russia's obligations as a new participant in the post-COCOM regime? Did Russia agree, for example, to halt sales of conventional weapons to Iran in exchange for this, and, if so, when were those sales stopped?
VICE PRESIDENT GORE: Well, we have had an ongoing dialogue about this topic and we reached an agreement satisfactory to both sides about this question, as is appropriate, because as a member of the post-COCOM regime, as a founding member, Russia joins with the United States and the other founding members in preventing the transfer of weapons to countries that are listed in this regime. As a result of the fact that there were present outstanding contracts, some provision necessarily had to be arrived at to deal with this question. It has been handled in a very responsible way that is fair to both countries and acceptable to both countries.
PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN: (In Russian) Q: (In Russian, Russian Information Agency; concerning whether these two days in Moscow with the vice president's participation have lent support to the Government of Russia)
VICE PRESIDENT GORE: I truly believe that the work of our Commission, in each of our sessions, and particularly in this session, has been beneficial to the Russian people and to the American people. When we work together on common objectives, our collaboration makes us much stronger and more effective and more prosperous than the sum total of the two of us separately.
I referred to the docking of the space shuttle and the Mir yesterday as a metaphor for the work of the Commission. I truly believe that it is an apt metaphor, because in that docking, our two space programs opened a door to a new pathway into the future that would have been impossible for either of us to travel separately. And in the same way, the joining together of our efforts in this Commission creates and opens a door to a new pathway that we could not follow separately. Just to take the work of the Health Committee, for example: Our success in combating tuberculosis and diabetes and diphtheria and the illnesses that threaten young children. Our ability to combat these health problems is much greater when American doctors can learn from Russian doctors, and vice versa. And when the efforts that we have established separately are joined, then the Russians are able to fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge, and we are able to fill in some of the gaps in their knowledge. And then the sum total enables us to more effectively combat these diseases.
You can say the same thing about the Environmental Committee, certainly about the business joint ventures that are established, the new foundation for civilian scientific research here in Russia that is going to make its work accessible by the Internet to scientists throughout the United States and throughout Russia. The list of examples -- well, I could give you literally a hundred examples. And so -- But the short answer to your question is: "Yes. This has been an outstanding result for the Russian people and for the American people."
Q: (NBC Radio) I'd like ask a question to the vice president about security, specifically about the security of nuclear materials. It seems to me that this Commission might be trying to restore work that should be done under the Nunn-Lugar program, which the Congress is trying to eliminate. Is that right? Should this work be going under Nunn-Lugar or is this new work that might be commissioned?
VICE PRESIDENT GORE: Both. The Nunn-Lugar program has been the most important single effort to deal with the dismantling of weapons both in Russia and in the United States as our two great nations make this historic transition away from a relationship as adversaries and towards a relationship already now established as friends and partners.
Make no mistake; there is very strong support in the Congress in both political parties for the Nunn-Lugar program. I predict there will also be very strong support for the additional steps that we have chartered in the work of this Commission. President Yeltsin and President Clinton asked us to pay special responsibility to the problems of nuclear material security and accountability. We made very important progress in this meeting on this topic. We signed one agreement, and we agreed on an action plan that will occupy our experts for the next several months. Viktor Stepanovich and I talked until midnight last night about this topic, among others. And we're making tremendous progress, and I am quite confident that it will have the full support of our Congress.
Q: (U.S. News & World Report) Vickor Stepanovich, your request for a motion of confidence in the Duma was a very smart political move, but were you fully aware of the possible consequences? For instance, an aide in the presidential administration says that by constitution, you are not allowed to withdraw it even if the parliament doesn't make a "no confidence" vote.
And to Mr. Gore, a question on the sale of the uranium. Why does the United States -- at least, as the Russian press says -- not want to pay the price originally agreed on for the five hundred tons of uranium? Or maybe there are other reasons? Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN: (In Russian) VICE PRESIDENT GORE: On the second question, one of the agreements that was signed today addresses the question of payment for HEU (highly-enriched uranium). It is an immensely complicated issue with many factors that have to be balanced, both on the Russian side and on the American side. We have talked about this in detail. This matter is going to be dealt with fairly, and the outcome, I assure you, is going to be fair to Russia and fair to the United States. And this is something that we will have to continue to talk about because these factors change from time to time. But it is definitely now in very good shape compared to when we came here, and I have a very high degree of confidence that there are not going to be problems related to this matter. And we all agreed that Minister Viktor Mikhailov will pick up the check for dinner tonight. (Laughter)
Q: (In Russian; Komsomolskaya Pravda, concerning whether Prime Minister Chernomyrdin sees any positive lessons coming from the tragedy in Budennovsk, and to Vice President Gore on how the U.S. administration judged the "non-standard" behavior of the Russian premier in this incident)
PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN: (In Russian) VICE PRESIDENT GORE: Before I answer the question you put to me, I would like to express, on behalf of the American people, our deep condolences to the Russian people for the loss of life at Budennovsk. President Clinton expressed these sentiments earlier. I repeat them now from my heart, as I did privately to Viktor Stepanovich and to President Yeltsin, and as I do to all who are listening.
In the aftermath of that tragedy, Viktor Stepanovich was confronted with a situation which he handled in a way which you now ask me to assess. When I arrived at the airport two days ago, I addressed this question by quoting one of the greatest writers in the history of the United States, Ernest Hemingway, who wrote that the definition of courage is very simple. Courage is grace under pressure. I believe that, by that definition, Viktor Stepanovich, working with close and continuing consultations with President Yeltsin, demonstrated courage. In doing so, he saved the lives of thousands of people and opened a new avenue toward potential resolution of the crisis in Chechnya. I discussed this with him and with President Yeltsin and repeated the urging of President Clinton that this new potential for solving the crisis through talks be fully explored and successfully explored.
Q: (Bloomberg Business News) Viktor Stepanovich, the vice president's office says here that President Yeltsin has signed a decree offering certain joint ventures in the oil sector exemptions from the oil export tax. Would you please name these joint ventures and tell me specifically if Sakhalin One is one of these ventures that get this exemption?
PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN: (In Russian) Q: (In Russian; Russica News Agency, to Vice President Gore concerning OPIC, and to Prime Minister Chernomyrdin about promoting investment in Russia)
VICE PRESIDENT GORE: Well, first of all, the head of OPIC (Overseas Private Investment Corporation), Ruth Harkin, is here and an important member of our Commission. And OPIC has the authority to act in accordance with the law establishing it, and every proper step has been taken to assure that projects supported by OPIC meet the standards of the law. And there is no problem with this. This is something that will be mutually beneficial to Russia and to the United States. That is often the case, incidentally -- almost always the case with the output of this Commission. It helps both countries.
PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN: (In Russian) (End transcript) NNNN
File Identification: 07/03/95, EUR102; 07/03/95, NEA101; 07/05/95, ERF306; 07/07/95, EUR505; 07/10/95, ERF104
Product Name: Wireless File
Product Code: WF
Languages: Russian; Russian
Keywords: CHERNOMYRDIN, VIKTOR/Speaker; GORE, ALBERT/Speaker; IRAN-RUSSIA RELATIONS; NUCLEAR REACTORS; TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER; GORE-CHERNOMYRDIN COMMISSION; RUSSIA-US RELATIONS
Document Type: TRA
Target Areas: EU; NE
PDQ Text Link: 397481; 398135
USIA Notes: *95070302.GWE
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