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U.S.-Russian Summit
Camp David
1 February 1992
Bush - Yeltsin News Conference


 
President Bush:
Today, for the first time, an American President and the democratically elected President of an independent Russia have met, and we did so not as adversaries but  as friends. This historic meeting is yet another confirmation of the end of the cold war and  the dawn of a new era. Russia and the United States are charting a new relationship. And  it's based on trust; it's based on a commitment to economic and political freedom; it's  based on a strong hope for true partnership. So, we agreed here that we're going to pull  closer together economically and politically. 

 I invited President Yeltsin to come to the States for a state visit; he accepted. He, in turn,  asked me to come to the Soviet Union, and I accepted. That will be later in the year. And  he will be coming in the first half of the year, the date to be determined later on. 

We agreed to cooperate in the safe handling of nuclear weapons, arms reductions, and a  wide array of other subjects. So, from my standpoint and the standpoint of the United  States, our first team here, we felt it was a very good visit. The only problem was, it was  very short. But we'll have a chance to follow up at the state visit. 

And Mr. President, the floor is yours. And welcome once again, even though you're  heading off now down to the Hill to meet some of the Members of Congress. 

President Yeltsin: 
Mr. President Bush, ladies and gentlemen, I am very grateful to my  friend George for the words which he has just spoken, in terms of our meeting and aimed  at Russia and towards me. I feel that the meeting was exceptionally positive, necessary, and historic. 

We discussed a whole range of issues, as a matter of fact, those kinds of issues that have  never been exposed and opened many, many years and many, many decades: issues of  economic reform in Russia, as well as cooperation and assistance so that this reform not  die on the vine, and issues having to do with the Commonwealth of Independent Nations,  economic issues having to do with the military condition now, the condition of the military. 

And on the initiative of President Bush and Russia also, we talked about reduction of  strategic and tactical arsenals down to the minimal of, say, two and a half thousand  warheads for either side. And in this issue we will now begin very specific and concrete  negotiations, the issue of arms sales, of nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, issues of the  so-called brain drain, and a whole series of others. Now maybe some very specific and  personal issues, but I think having to do with a relationship which really has a great  importance. I'm very satisfied that today one might say that there has been written and  drawn a new line, and crossed out all of the things that have been associated with the cold  war. 

Today we are going to sign a statement or declaration on a new nature or character of the  relationship between the United States of America and Russia. From now on we do not  consider ourselves to be potential enemies as it had been previously in our military  doctrine. This is the historic value of this meeting. 

And another very important factor in our relationship, right away today it's already been  pointed out, that in the future there will be full frankness, full openness, full honesty in our  relationship both of us value very, very much. 

Thank you so much. 
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