The Secretary of State of the United States of America and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation underscored the staunch commitment of their countries to efforts to curb the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and to enhance global and regional stability. In keeping with the spirit of the new strategic partnership between the United States and Russia the Ministers have agreed on development of wide-ranging cooperation in the field of export control. Moreover, they have agreed that all necessary steps in this field be taken expeditiously, and have established a senior-level working group for this purpose, as well as to initiate bilateral cooperation in the areas specified in a Memorandum of Intent signed this day in Moscow.

The Ministers expressed satisfaction with steps taken since the last meeting of the President of the United States and the President of the Russian Federation to eliminate the vestiges of the Cold War, such as the Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls (COCOM), which according to the understanding reached by COCOM members will be terminated not later than March 31, 1994. They also welcomed the decision to establish a new multilateral regime for enhancing responsibility and transparency in the transfers of armaments and sensitive dual-use technologies. This new arrangement would not be directed against any state or group of states, and would prevent the acquisition of such items for military end uses if the behavior of a state is or becomes a cause for serious concern as determined by the participants of the new multilateral regime.

The United States and Russia, as leading exporters of conventional weapons, military equipment and dual-use technologies, are convinced that additional measures are needed on an international basis to increase responsibility, transparency and, where appropriate, restraint in this area. They expressed their willingness to work with other countries in bringing about the early establishment of a new multilateral regime in order to achieve these objectives, which would supplement existing non-proliferation regimes in particular through arrangements to exchange information for the purpose of meaningful consultations.

The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation, reaffirming their desire to promote the strengthening of measures directed against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems, and other weapons, as well as the technologies and specialized experience relating to such weapons; desiring to develop cooperation of the United States of America and the Russian Federation in the area of export controls; noting that cooperation in strengthening the export control systems in the United States of America and the Russian Federation will promote the development of economic, scientific, and technological relationships between the two countries in accordance with principles of equality and mutual benefit; intend to cooperate in any or all of the following areas:

Conducting bilateral and multilateral discussions at the political and technical level on matters relating to the enhancement of export control systems;

Conducting bilateral consultations at the expert and government levels on obligations relating to non-use of export controlled items for unapproved purposes;

Conducting bilateral consultations on specific Multilateral Export Control Regimes and their implementation and on the technical parameters of the items and technologies covered by them;

Participating in seminars, conferences, and other multilateral meetings devoted to considering export control issues;

Discussing opportunities to train personnel involved with export control, the work of licensing and customs agencies; and

Joint efforts to expand cooperation in the area of export control.

The parties may establish Expert Working Groups for the purposes of carrying out this Memorandum of Intent.