16 December 2000 Albright, Ivanov on Pre-Launch Notification Agreement U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov briefed reporters in Brussels December 16 after signing a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on notifications of missile launches that establishes a pre- and post-launch notification system for ballistic missiles and space launch vehicles. "The MOU complements an agreement on the sharing of early warning information signed by Presidents Clinton and [Russian President] Putin last June," Albright said. She added that the United States and Russia will invite other interested countries to participate in the missile and space launch notification system. The two were in Brussels for a North Atlantic Council ministerial. Following is the transcript of the event: U.S. Department of State Office of the Spokesman (Brussels, Belgium) December 16, 2000 Remarks by Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright And Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov Signing of U.S.-Russia Pre-Launch Notification Agreement Le Meridien Hotel Brussels, Belgium Secretary Albright: Good morning. Foreign Minister Ivanov and I have just signed a bilateral "Memorandum of Understanding on Notifications of Missile Launches." This document establishes a pre- and post-launch notification system for ballistic missiles and space launch vehicles. It greatly expands prior notification regimes. The MOU complements an agreement on the sharing of early warning information signed by Presidents Clinton and Putin last June. The result will be deeper confidence and greater strategic stability between our two nations, which translates into a safer and more secure world. Under our agreement, both the United States and Russia will invite the participation of other interested countries in the missile and space launch notification system we have agreed upon today. This reflects the fact that proliferation is a threat to every nation, and that contributing to stability is every nation's responsibility. I want to congratulate Foreign Minister Ivanov and the Russian Government on our agreement today. Over the past decade, Russia and the United States have done much to put the legacy of the Cold War behind us. And I am pleased that we have been able to take another important step in that direction today. Foreign Minister Ivanov: (English translation) First of all I would like to join in the words that Secretary Albright has just mentioned. The fact of the signing of this memorandum today is a testimony of a considerable potential capability with the view to reducing mutual tensions in the world. We believe that this document is a true requisite for continued uninterrupted work between the United States and Russia with a view to strengthening strategic stability and mutual understanding through political and diplomatic means. It is symbolic that this document has been signed here in Europe. As Secretary of State Albright has just noted, imbedded in this document, in this system, is a technical capability of its conversion into future in a multilateral regime of notification. And we hope that Europeans, similar to other interested states, would get engaged into this - enrolled into this regime which could form a basis for further development of proposals on the establishment of the global system for the control of the non-proliferation of missile technologies. All these efforts are aimed at strengthening the strategic stability on a global scale and at preventing any future possible threats both to the United States, to Russia and indeed to the entire world. And for my part, I would like to congratulate both the Secretary of State Albright and the entire U.S. administration with this, yet another very important step aimed at further strengthening the strategic stability and security in the world. Thank you. (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov) Return to the Washington File