Protocol to the Treaty between the United States of America and
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Reduction and Limitation
of Strategic Offensive Arms
(START I Lisbon Protocol)
The Republic of Byelarus (1 Spelling as appears in the original English
Text of Protocol. In other documents, the revised official spelling
"Belarus" is used.), the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation,
Ukraine, and the United States of America, hereinafter referred to as
the Parties,
Reaffirming their support for the Treaty Between the United States
of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Reduction
and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms of July 31,1991, hereinafter
referred to as the Treaty,
Recognizing the altered political situation resulting from the replacement
of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics with a number of independent
states,
Recalling the commitment of the member states of the Commonwealth
of Independent States that the nuclear weapons of the former Union of
Soviet Socialist Republics will be maintained under the safe,secure,
and reliable control of a single unified authority,
Desiring to facilitate implementation of the Treaty in this altered situation,
Have agreed as follows:
| ARTICLE I |
|
The Republic of Byelarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan,
the Russian Federation, and Ukraine, as successor states of the former
Union of Soviet Socialist Republic in connection with the Treaty,
shall assume the obligations of the former Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics under the Treaty.
| ARTICLE II |
|
The Republic of Byelarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan,
the Russian Federation, and Ukraine shall make such arrangements among
themselves as are required to implement the Treaty's limits and restrictions;
to allow functioning of the verification provisions of the Treaty
equally and consistently throughout the territory of the Republic
of Byelarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation,and
Ukraine; and to allocate costs.
| ARTICLE III |
|
1. For purposes of Treaty implementation, the phrase,
"Union of Soviet Socialist Republics" shall be interpreted to mean
the Republic of Byelarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian
Federation, and Ukraine.
2. For purposes of Treaty implementation, the phrase,
"national territory," when used in the Treaty to refer to the Union
of Soviet Socialist Republics, shall be interpreted to mean the combined
national territories of the Republic of Byelarus, the Republic of
Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, and Ukraine.
3. For inspections and continuous monitoring activities
on the territory of the Republic of Byelarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan,
the Russian Federation, or Ukraine, that state shall provide communications
from the inspection site or continuous monitoring site to the Embassy
of the United States in the respective capital.
4. For purposes of Treaty implementation, the embassy
of the Inspecting Party referred to in Section XVI of the Protocol
on Inspections and Continuous Monitoring Activities Relating to the
Treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive
Arms shall be construed to be the embassy of the respective state
in Washington or the embassy of the United States of America in the
respective capital.
5. The working languages for Treaty activities shall
be English and Russian.
| ARTICLE IV |
|
Representatives of the Republic of Byelarus, the
Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation,and Ukraine will participate
in the Joint Compliance and Inspection Commission on a basis to be
workout out consistent with Article I of this Protocol.
| ARTICLE V |
|
The Republic of Byelarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan,
and Ukraine shall adhere to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons of July 1, 1968 as non-nuclear weapon states Parties
in the shortest possible time, and shall begin immediately to take
all necessary action to this end in accordance with their constitutional
practices.
| ARTICLE VI |
|
1. Each Party shall ratify the Treaty together with
this Protocol in accordance with its own constitutional procedures.
The Republic of Byelarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian
Federation, and Ukraine shall exchange instruments of ratification
with the United States of America. The Treaty shall enter into force
on the date of the final exchange of instruments of ratification.
2. This Protocol shall be an integral part of the
Treaty and shall remain in force throughout the duration of the Treaty.
Done at Lisbon on May 23, 1992, in five copies, each
in the Byelarusian, English, Kazakh, Russian, and Ukrainian languages,
all texts being equally authentic.
FOR THE REPUBLIC OF BYELARUS:
P. Kravchanka
FOR THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN:
T. Zhukeyev
FOR THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION:
A. Kozyrev
FOR UKRAINE:
A. Zlenko
FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
James A. Baker, III
| THE SUPREME SOVIET OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS |
|
May 20, 1992
Dear Mr. President:
In connection with the impending ratification by
the Republic of Belarus of the 1991 Treaty between the United States
of America and the USSR on Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive
Arms, I have the honor to advise you that the Republic of Belarus,
in implementing this Treaty, will be able to assume the following
obligations.
In accordance with the letter and spirit of the
Declaration on the State Sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus, which
has been given constitutional status, Belarus will take all the measures
to achieve the status of a non-nuclear state. I note with satisfaction,
Mr. President, that in its successful progress made in this direction,
Belarus as of now has already completely freed itself of the tactical
nuclear weapons that were located in its territory.
The Republic of Belarus guarantees the elimination
of all nuclear strategic offensive arms located in its territory in
accordance with the relevant agreements concluded by Belarus and during
the seven-year period as provided by the START Treaty, on condition
that the Russian Federation will be prepared to receive the nuclear
strategic offensive arms removed from the territory of Belarus during
this period of time.
Naturally, Mr. President, the Republic of Belarus
will conduct this activity with due account of its national security
interests, and when controversial issues arise, the Republic of Belarus
will consult with the other Parties to the Treaty.
It is the view of the Republic of Belarus that the
process of destruction of nuclear weapons should be carried out under
rigorous and effective international control.
Accept, Mr. President, the assurance of my highest
consideration.
| S. Shushkevich |
| /s/ |
| Chairman of the Supreme Soviet |
| of the Republic of Belarus |
His Excellency George Bush
President of the United States of America
[Washington, D. C.]
| THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN |
|
To the President of the United States
of America
Mr. George Bush
Dear Mr. President:
In connection with the ratification by Kazakhstan
of the Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of
Soviet Socialist Republics on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic
Offensive Arms of 1991, I have the honor to inform you that for the
purposes of implementing the above mentioned Treaty, Kazakhstan undertakes
the following obligation.
Kazakhstan guarantees the carrying out of the elimination
of all kinds of nuclear weapons, including strategic offensive arms,
located on its territory, over a period of seven years in accordance
with the START Treaty.
| Sincerely yours, |
| /s/ |
| N. Nazarbayev |
| President of the |
| Republic of Kazakhstan |
| PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE |
|
Dear Mr. President:
In connection with the ratification by Ukraine of
the 1991 Treaty between the United States and the USSR on the Reduction
of Strategic Offensive Arms, I have the honor to advise you that Ukraine,
in implementing this Treaty, shall assume the following obligations.
In accordance with the Declaration on the State
Sovereignty of Ukraine adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on
July 16, 1990, and with the Statement of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
on the Non-Nuclear Status of Ukraine adopted on October 24, 1991,
Ukraine shall have a non-nuclear status,will abide by the three non-nuclear
principles in the future, and emphasizes its right to control over
the non-use of nuclear weapons deployed in its territory.
Ukraine shall guarantee the elimination of all nuclear
weapons, including strategic offensive arms,located in its territory
in accordance with the relevant agreements and during the seven-year
period as provided by the START Treaty and within the context of the
Statement of the Non-Nuclear Status of Ukraine. Ukraine will take
into account its national security interests in conducting this activity.
In this connection, if any questions should arise Ukraine will consult
with the other Parties to the Treaty.
In addition, I should like to note that the process
of elimination of nuclear weapons in Ukraine should be carried out
under reliable international control which should guarantee the non-use
of nuclear charge components for repeated production of weapons and
should prevent their export to other countries.
| Respectfully, |
| /s/ |
| Leonid Kravchuk |
| President of Ukraine |
His Excellency George Bush
President of the United States of America
Washington, D. C.
|