U.S.-PROPOSED TEXT OF A JOINT UNDERSTANDING

S E C R E T STATE 060487

SIPDIS, GENEVA FOR JCIC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2029
TAGS: PARM PREL KACT START JCIC US KTIA RS
SUBJECT: U.S.-PROPOSED TEXT OF A JOINT UNDERSTANDING
REGARDING A START FOLLOW-ON TREATY

REF: STATE 50910

Classified By: Jerry A. Taylor, Director, VIC/SI.
Reason: 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (U) Assistant Secretary for Verification, Compliance,
and Implementation, Rose Gottemoeller, during continuing
negotiations regarding a START follow-on treaty with
Russian MFA Director of Security and Disarmament Affairs
Anatoliy Antonov, undertook to provide to the Russian
Federation the U.S. draft text for a joint understanding
regarding a START follow-on treaty.


2. (S) ACTION REQUEST: Embassy Moscow is requested to
provide the text contained in paragraph 3 below to
appropriate host government officials in the form of a
diplomatic note as soon as possible on June 15.
Washington will provide the embassy with a courtesy
Russian-language translation of the note in paragraph 3;
however, delivery of the demarche should not be delayed if
the translation is delayed. Embassy should inform the
Russian Federation that elements of the U.S. Non-paper
contained in the reference cable but not included in the
U.S. Non-Paper on a "Joint Understanding" remain U.S.
proposals for the START Follow-on Treaty. Embassy is
requested to confirm the delivery of the note, the name
and office of the official to whom it was delivered, the
date of the delivery, and any comment/reaction provided at
that time.


3. (S/Releasable to the Russian Federation)
Begin text.

U.S. Non-paper

(Date)
JOINT UNDERSTANDING

The President of the United States of America and the
President of the Russian Federation have decided on
further reductions in their nation's strategic nuclear
forces. Specifically, the two presidents have decided to
promptly conclude a treaty that replaces the current START
Treaty, to include the following elements:


1. Reduction of their strategic nuclear forces, within
the seven-year period following entry into force of the
treaty, to no more than:

(a) An aggregate total of 1500-1600 operationally deployed
strategic nuclear warheads for each nation.

(b) An aggregate total of 1100 deployed ICBMs and their
associated launchers, deployed SLBMs and their associated
launchers, and deployed heavy bombers for each nation.


2. Provisions for calculating these limits, to include the
following:

(a) The number of operationally deployed strategic nuclear
warheads to be determined as:

(i) For an ICBM or SLBM, nuclear warheads on an ICBM in
its launcher or on an SLBM in its launcher onboard a
submarine.

(ii) For heavy bombers, nuclear warheads loaded on a heavy
bomber and nuclear warheads for heavy bombers located in
specified weapon storage areas associated with or directly
supporting heavy bomber air bases.

(b) The number of deployed ICBMs and their associated
launchers, deployed SLBMs and their associated launchers,
and deployed heavy bombers for each nation to be
determined as:

(i) All such ICBMs and their associated launchers, and all
such SLBMs and their associated launchers tested for the
delivery of nuclear warheads;

(ii) All deployed heavy bombers equipped for nuclear
armaments.

(c) Launchers that are no longer capable of supporting
operational ICBMs or SLBMs, and heavy bombers that have
been converted to non-nuclear only roles will not be
subject to the treaty.


3. Provisions from the START Treaty on definitions, data
exchanges, notifications, eliminations, inspections and
verification procedures, as well as confidence building
and transparency measures, as adapted, simplified, and
made less costly, as appropriate.


4. Establishment of an implementation body to resolve
questions related to treaty implementation.


5. The provisions of the treaty will not apply to existing
patterns of cooperation in the area of strategic offensive
arms between a Party and a third state.


6. A duration of the treaty of ten years, unless it is
superseded before that time by a subsequent treaty on the
reduction of strategic nuclear forces.

The two Presidents direct that the treaty be
promptly negotiated so that they may sign and submit it
for ratification in their respective countries.

The two Presidents have also directed that the
treaty be accompanied by a commitment to initiate promptly
negotiations directed toward concluding a subsequent
treaty that achieves additional, further reductions in
overall nuclear warheads, including non-strategic and
non-deployed warheads.

Signed at (City),this (date) day of (month),
2009, in two originals, in the English and Russian
languages.

FOR THE UNITED STATES FOR THE
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
OF AMERICA

(President Obama)
(President Medvedev)

End text.
CLINTON