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29 September 1999

Fact Sheet: U.S., Ukraine Sign MOU on Aerospace Cooperation Sept. 29

(Memorandum of Understanding for civil aerospace sector)  (410)
The United States and Ukraine signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) September 29 on expanding cooperation in the civil aerospace
sector.
A fact sheet describing the non-binding document noted that Ukraine
possesses "significant aerospace technology and expertise that could
otherwise be used to develop weapons of mass destruction and their
delivery systems" and that the MOU recognizes the importance "of
keeping this expertise in a field that complements our mutual goals of
pursuing high technology and non-proliferation cooperation."
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright signed the MOU on behalf of the
United States; Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk signed on behalf of
Ukraine.
Following is the text of the fact sheet:
(begin text)
U.S. FACT SHEET
U.S.-UKRAINE AEROSPACE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING SEPTEMBER 29, 1999
New York
At the first Gore-Kuchma Commission in May 1997, Vice President Gore
initiated cooperation with Ukraine in the important and mutually
beneficial civil aerospace sector. Secretary Albright's visit to Kiev
in March 1998 marked the beginning of implementation of that
cooperation.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Concerning Cooperation in the
Aerospace Sector, signed today by Secretary Albright and Foreign
Minister Tarasyuk, is a non-binding document that recognizes the
mutual benefits of expanding cooperation in the aerospace sector.
Ukraine possesses significant aerospace technology and expertise that
could otherwise be used to develop weapons of mass destruction (WMD)
and their delivery systems. The MOU signed today recognizes the
importance of keeping this expertise in a field that complements our
mutual goals of pursuing high technology and non-proliferation
cooperation.
The MOU:
-- Underscores our governments' continued commitment to
non-proliferation and the elimination of WMD and their delivery
systems;
-- Provides for up to $3 million for continued cooperative research
efforts involving the Ukrainian aerospace sector, U.S. agencies and
other organizations, including collaborative research in space life
sciences and life medicine related to the International Space Station;
-- Expresses our mutual determination to continue to explore future
cooperation in the area of trade in commercial space launch services;
and
-- Marks the beginning of discussions on elimination of Ukraine's
SS-18 and SS-24 production capabilities under the Cooperative Threat
Reduction Program.
The MOU also notes our joint intent to discuss extending the November
22, 1994 Agreement Between the U.S. and Ukraine on Cooperation in the
Exploration and Use of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes.
(end text)