The White House, President George W. Bush Click to print this document

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 6, 2008

U.S.-Russia Strategic Framework Declaration

The United States and the Russian Federation,

Recalling our Joint Statement of November 13, 2001 on a New Relationship

Between the United States and Russia and our Joint Declaration of May 24, 2002, we reaffirm that the era in which the United States and Russia considered one another an enemy or strategic threat has ended. We reject the zero-sum thinking of the Cold War when “what was good for Russia was bad for America” and vice versa. Rather, we are dedicated to working together and with other nations to address the global challenges of the 21st century, moving the U.S.-Russia relationship from one of strategic competition to strategic partnership. We intend to cooperate as partners to promote security, and to jointly counter the threats to peace we face, including international terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We are determined to build a lasting peace, both on a bilateral basis and in international fora, recognizing our shared responsibility to the people of our countries and the global community of nations to remain steadfast and united in pursuit of international security, and a peaceful, free world. Where we have differences, we will work to resolve them in a spirit of mutual respect.

Recognizing the importance of these issues, we affirm our commitment to respect the rule of law, international law, human rights, tolerance of diversity, political freedom, and a free market approach to economic policy and practices.

We agree that the foundation for the U.S. and Russian relationship should be based on the core principles of friendship, cooperation, openness, and predictability. The strength and stability of this foundation will rest on expanding the network of ties between our governments and our peoples and on the positive examples we set for our societies and for the world as we confront new and emerging threats to global security together as partners. We will strive to identify areas of positive cooperation where our interests coincide, and pursue joint projects and actions that will bring our countries closer together, while minimizing the strain on our partnership where our interests diverge. Going forward, we intend to deepen our cooperation wherever possible, while taking further, even more far-reaching steps, to demonstrate our joint leadership in addressing new challenges to global peace and security in accordance with the principles of international law, taking into consideration the role of the United Nations.

In pursuit of these goals, the United States and the Russian Federation will consult closely on the development of initiatives that will serve our common interests.

Promoting Security

We acknowledge that today's security environment is fundamentally different than during the Cold War. We must move beyond past strategic principles, which focused on the prospect of mutual annihilation, and focus on the very real dangers that confront both our nations. These include especially the threat of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. Reflecting the changed nature of our strategic relationship, we will take steps together to counter these new and emerging challenges.

We are determined to work closely together on all the major global international issues that confront us, including the pursuit of peace in the Middle East, security and stability in North East Asia through the Six-Party process, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and elsewhere around the world, working with other nations through the United Nations, as well as other international and regional mechanisms, including the NATO-Russia Council and the G-8, to strengthen our cooperation wherever possible.

We will work together to address serious differences in areas where our policies do not coincide, including NATO expansion; development of a package solution that helps restore the viability of the CFE regime and prompt ratification of the Adapted CFE Treaty by all the States Parties; and certain military activities in space.

Preventing the Spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction

We recognize the profound importance of preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. We must prevent such weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists and those who support them. To this end, our two countries will provide global leadership on a wide range of cooperative efforts that will advance our common nonproliferation goals. These will include new approaches focused on environmentally-friendly technologies that will support economic growth, promote the expansion of nuclear energy, and create a viable alternative to the spread of sensitive nuclear fuel cycle technologies.

Combating Global Terrorism

Terrorism represents a grave danger to global security and stability, rule of law, human rights, and democratic values. The combination of international terrorism and the danger of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery represents a profound threat to the security of the United States, Russia, and other countries. We will work together to counter the terrorist threat both bilaterally and within the framework of international institutions.

We will work together to achieve critical objectives, including blocking terrorist groups from access to the financial resources they need to carry out their terrible acts, building counterterrorism will and capacity among countries around the world, promoting and strengthening international institutions that can combat terror, preventing the free transit and movement of known or suspected terrorists around the world, enhancing international law enforcement tools and cooperation to counter terrorist groups, creating a global consensus that rejects the use of terror for any reason, and actively engaging civil society and the business community in anti-terrorist efforts.

Strategic Economic Cooperation

We acknowledge the great potential for expanding bilateral trade and investment and the significant benefits this would bring to both of our economies. We recognize that to realize this potential, both nations must follow the fundamental principle of open market economies based on respect for the rule of law both domestically and internationally. We endorse the growing dynamism between our business communities and the profound importance of deepening economic engagement through both private sector and government channels to improve understanding and transparency, eliminate obstacles to trade and investment, and strengthen the institutions that will build confidence, certainty and predictability in our respective markets.

We will work together with other producing, consuming, and transit countries to strengthen the partnership among all interested parties and to enhance global energy security on an open, transparent, and commercially-viable basis.

Combating Climate Change
In the area of combating climate change we will work together with all major economies to advance key elements of the negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in order to achieve a comprehensive post-2012 framework that includes greenhouse gas limitation or reduction commitments by all major emitting economies consistent with their national circumstances and to address emissions in key sectors.

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