The G-8 also announced a set
of key nonproliferation principles. The Partnership turns those
principles into concrete action.
G-8 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials
of Mass Destruction: President Bush and his G-8 colleagues agreed
today to launch a major new effort to prevent the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction to terrorists or those who support them.
Under the ?G-8 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and
Material of Mass Destruction,? the United States, the G-7 and the
European Commission have agreed to raise up to $20 billion for projects
pertaining to disarmament, nonproliferation, counterterrorism and
nuclear safety, over the next ten years. The United States intends to
provide half of the total funding.
The focus of the Global Partnership will initially be on projects
in Russia. The initiative will also be open to other states, including
other former Soviet states. G-8 members have agreed on basic
guidelines for implementing the initiative. The G-8 will establish a
senior-level mechanism to coordinate Partnership activities, including
monitoring progress and considering project priorities and
opportunities.
The Global Partnership will initiate new bilateral and multilateral
projects, and enhance existing ones. Donor governments may choose a
range of financing options, including exchanges of a portion of
Russia's Soviet-era debt for Partnership projects. Only funds
disbursed after today's announcement will be included in the
Partnership. The G-8 has invited others to join in this endeavor.
G-8 Nonproliferation Principles: The President and his G-8
colleagues also today adopted a set of Principles to prevent terrorists
or those who harbor them from acquiring or developing nuclear,
chemical, radiological and biological weapons, missiles, and related
materials, equipment and technology. The G-8 Leaders call on all
states to commit to these Principles.
U.S. Nonproliferation Assistance: The G-8 Global Partnership builds
on, and expands, a decade of cooperation between the United States and
former Soviet states to reduce and prevent the proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction, starting with the Cooperative Threat Reduction
(Nunn-Lugar) program in FY1992. From FY1992 to FY2002, the United
States allocated approximately $7 billion for this purpose. In the
President's FY2003 budget request, he has proposed about $1 billion in
nonproliferation and, threat reduction assistance to former Soviet
states ? the highest single-year request ever made for these projects.
Key ongoing U.S. nonproliferation and threat reduction projects in
Russia and other former Soviet states, including Ukraine, Kazakhstan
and Uzbekistan, will be enhanced under the Global Partnership. These
include: