15 March 2001

Powell's Message to Barents Euro-Arctic Council, Murmansk, Russia

Ambassador Eileen Malloy led the U.S. delegation to the Eighth Ministerial Meeting of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council, which met in Murmansk, Russia, March 14-15 under the chairmanship of Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.

Ambassador Malloy delivered a message from U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, reaffirming U.S. engagement in northern Europe and noting the importance of concluding the agreement on a Multilateral Nuclear Environmental Program for Russia (MNEPR), an agreement that will provide the legal framework for continued nuclear waste management assistance programs in northwest Russia.

The United States is an observer state in the Barents Council and works with the Council in the framework of the U.S. Northern Europe Initiative (NEI) to coordinate environmental programs in the Barents Sea region.

While in Murmansk, Ambassador Malloy also opened the first-ever American art exhibition, a collection of works by artists associated with the University of California San Diego who traveled through the Barents region.

Following is the text of Secretary Powell's message to the Barents Euro-Arctic Council:

Message From U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
To the Barents Council Ministerial
Murmansk, Russia
March 15, 2001
Delivered by Ambassador Eileen Malloy
Senior U.S. Representative

The U.S. Government's participation in the Eighth Ministerial Session of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council in Murmansk reflects our commitment to work with you to develop an active network of cooperation in northern Europe that helps secure stability, prosperity, and security in this vital area. This vision underlies our Northern Europe Initiative, our efforts in northwest Russia, and our cooperation with the European Union and the states around the Barents and Baltic Seas. The United States is committed to the realization of this vision.

Regional organizations like the Barents Council are among the keys to the success of our collective efforts. By bringing together national governments, sub-national entities, and NGO's to focus on the practical challenges of integration, the Council makes a significant contribution to the region's development. Our partnership enables us to ensure that our combined efforts complement each other and make the most effective use of our resources, and provides a useful forum to focus high-level attention on critical issues.

One such issue is the challenge of dealing with radioactive waste in northwest Russia. We are all aware of the threat this waste poses to the environment in the region, and to the health and well-being of the people who live there. Members of the Barents Council have worked closely with Russia as it addresses this challenge and believe the Multilateral Nuclear Environmental Program for Russia (MNEPR) agreement still offers the best way forward.

All of our efforts have one thing in common: the vision of a region bound together by common goals and well-integrated into the new Europe that we are building together. I salute you and extend my wishes for a productive Ministerial meeting.