Today's Date:

The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems is a growing threat to international peace and stability.

In the face of this threat a comprehensive approach is imperative.

In this context, France and Russia, permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, are determined to continue to fulfil in all respects the role incumbent on them to serve the rule of law and promote regional and international stability and security, by pursuing and extending their cooperation in the fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

France and Russia recall the need to make full use of and strengthen the tools available to the international community in this sphere. They stress that the States and international organizations concerned must energetically endeavour to guarantee strict compliance with the existing international standards and obligations, monitor sensitive exports and cooperate at the practical level to prevent the dissemination of weapons of mass destruction and the goods and technologies necessary for their manufacture.

France and Russia are convinced that there must be no tolerance for those who contravene their obligations in this sphere.

They have decided, building on the debates in the Franco-Russian Council for Cooperation on Security Issues, to create a bilateral group of experts on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. This group will meet regularly to consider all pertinent questions and ensure the consultation and impetus needed for joint action by the two countries.

France and Russia attach the greatest importance to preventing the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction and the material necessary for their manufacture by terrorists or those who harbour them. In this respect, they confirm their commitment to the Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction decided on at the G8 Kananaskis Summit. France and Russia have pledged to make significant contributions to building the Global Partnership over the next ten years ($2 billion for Russia, $750 million for France).

Our two countries agree to step up the effort to translate into concrete projects the Kananaskis Summit's political guidelines relating to the Global Partnership. In this context, Russia expresses her support for the objectives of the French G8 presidency.

France and Russia consider the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) the cornerstone of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. They stress the importance of strict compliance with its provisions by all its States Parties. They are paying special attention to the NPT Review Process and are determined to coordinate their efforts and work for the success of the 2005 NPT Review Conference.

France and Russia call on every State which has not yet done so to sign an additional protocol to its safeguards agreement with the IAEA.

The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty is a key element in nuclear disarmament and non- proliferation. France and Russia call on all countries and, in the first place those on whom the Treaty's entry into force depends, to sign it and ratify it as quickly as possible. Pending its entry into force, France and Russia appeal to States to continue respecting a moratorium on nuclear weapon test explosions and all other nuclear explosions.

The immediate opening of the negotiation at the Disarmament Conference of a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty, as part of a balanced programme, is a common objective for France and Russia.

France and Russia consider that the rapid entry into force and implementation of the Russian-US Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty should make a lasting contribution to nuclear disarmament and international stability.

France and Russia stress the importance of strict compliance with the Biological Weapons Convention. They will continue to participate actively in the multilateral efforts to strengthen the Convention regime. France and Russia call on those countries which have not yet joined the Convention to do so as soon as possible.

France and Russia attach great importance to the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. They call on countries which have not yet joined the Convention to do so as soon as possible. The destruction of chemical weapons stocks must be carried out by all States possessing them.

The peaceful use of outer space must be guaranteed, for the good of, and in the interest of all. France and Russia reaffirm that the prevention of the arms race in space is a strategic issue. France and Russia earnestly appeal for the immediate opening of discussions on this subject at the Disarmament Conference as part of a balanced programme. They reaffirm the usefulness of confidence-building measures in this sphere.

France and Russia welcome the launch of the The Hague International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation. They will pursue their efforts to implement the Hague Code and persuade States with ballistic capabilities which have not yet subscribed to it to do so. This code is a first step towards establishing a legal instrument with wide jurisdiction.

The Russian Federation and France reaffirm the role of the United Nations Security Council in the fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. They therefore declare themselves in favour of the organization of a summit of Security Council members with a double mandate: to assess the effectiveness of the non-proliferation policy and give it a decisive boost./.