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Bureau of Verification and Compliance
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Nuclear Risk Reduction Center

The Nuclear Risk Reduction Center (NRRC) is a unique government entity located in and staffed by the State Department. The concept of the NRRC originated in a working group organized by Senators Sam Nunn and John Warner. The NRRC and its Soviet counterpart were formally established at a signing ceremony in Washington, DC on September 15, 1987. The two centers provided the first direct communications link established between the capitals since the Presidential "Hotline" was instituted in 1963.

An Assistant Secretary of State is appointed by the President to serve as the Director of the U.S. NRRC. The NRRC is divided into two units: a staff component and a watch operations component. Staff members represent the NRRC at interagency meetings, prepare and clear NRRC policy positions, and assist in planning for future activities. Watch operations officers staff the 24 hour operations center providing communications over six distinct international communications systems. Watch personnel are both Foreign Service and Civil Service officers, including those with proficiencies in Russian and other Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) languages. All of these officers bring to their jobs experience from a wide range of backgrounds in the foreign affairs community.

While not replacing normal diplomatic channels or the famous "Hotline" available in times of crisis, the NRRC has become part of an increasingly complex system of confidence- and security-building measures (CSBMs) designed to reduce the risk of war and to promote arms control and stability in the current post Cold War climate. As a result, the NRRC is facing increasing challenges and its role in the arms control process continues to expand.

The original NRRC has grown as new arms control treaties have been signed and ratified. The two original centers in Moscow and Washington have broken new ground, sharing information with each other to enhance their roles and strengthen their arms control implementation capability in this new post Cold war world. The break-up of the former Soviet Union however, presented a unique set of challenges. The four START Treaty successor states of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan have become involved in the notification process, and the NRRC has established direct communications links with each of those republics.

A U.S. node on the communications network for the OSCE countries was added in 1991. The network now communicates notifications for both the CFE Treaty and the CSBMs of Vienna Document 1999, and contributes to the implementation of the Open Skies Treaty.

In April 1997, the NRRC added a communications link with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to support the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Although used primarily for exchange of notifications under the existing bilateral and multilateral treaties, the NRRC has periodically proved its use in other areas as well. In January 1991, goodwill notifications were used to exchange information on the re-entry of the falling Salyut 7 space station. Later that same year, the NRRC serves as means of emergency communications during a major fire in the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

From the first message sent in April 1988 to the latest stage of multilateral arms control notifications, the NRRC has serves as a dependable means of exchanging information. It is relied upon as an integral player in arms control implementation, and supports the communications requirements for almost 20 arms control treaties and agreements with over 50 countries, in six different languages. The personnel of the U.S. NRRC continue to strive to provide the arms control community with reliable government-to-government communications with professionalism and dedication.

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