U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT FACT SHEET: U.S.-RUSSIA COOPERATION ON AFGHANISTAN

Photo:  Mountains of Afghanistan .  Credit:  U.S. Air Force.

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S.-Russia Cooperation on Afghanistan
Fact Sheet
Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs
June 18, 2012
The United States recognizes Russia’s contribution to building a better future for the Afghan people. Our two countries have developed excellent cooperation that supports Afghan efforts to make Afghanistan a peaceful, stable, and economically self-sustaining country, free of terrorism and illegal narcotics. We recognize that significant further international support will be needed to achieve this goal.

We take note of the significant contribution to international security that has resulted from the arrangements between the United States and Russia – bilaterally and through NATO – to support ground and air transit into and out of Afghanistan. In accordance with these arrangements, over 2,200 flights, over 379,000 military personnel, and over 45,000 containers of cargo have been transported through Russia in support of operations in Afghanistan.

Russia and the United States continue to expand law-enforcement and counternarcotics cooperation with our Afghan law enforcement partners. We support a comprehensive approach to reduce the volume of narcotics grown in Afghanistan, including by providing farmers with alternatives to poppy cultivation and providing continued assistance for Afghan-led counternarcotics efforts. The United States also praises the work of the NATO-Russia Council counternarcotics program, which has trained more than 2,000 law-enforcement officers from Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan since 2006.
The United States and Russia continue to face a common threat from terrorism, including from al-Qa’ida and other groups operating in and around Afghanistan. We are working together to disrupt terrorists’ operational networks and undermine their access to financial resources.

Together with NATO, the United States and Russia have established the Helicopter Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) to support Afghanistan’s fleet of Russian-built Mi-17 and Mi-35 helicopters. In 2012, 30 Afghan helicopter technicians will travel to Russia for advanced maintenance training, which will enhance the capacity of the Afghan security forces to keep their fleet of helicopters mission-ready as they assume greater responsibility for Afghanistan’s security. Russia is working on Dari-language field manuals for these airframes, and Russian experts have provided technical assessments of the fleet to enable the Afghans to develop a sustainable maintenance plan.

NATIONAL DAY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION REMARKS BY SEC. OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
National Day of the Russian Federation
Press Statement Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State Washington, DC
June 11, 2012

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to send best wishes to the people of Russia as you celebrate your National Day this June 12th. This is an occasion to honor your rich history and cultural diversity, and an opportunity to mark the progress we have made together.

Over the past three and a half years, our two countries have continued to broaden and deepen our cooperation to address shared challenges. Trade and investment are increasing. We were proud to support Russia’s effort to join the World Trade Organization this year. We continued successful implementation of the New START Treaty, including its comprehensive inspection and verification procedures. Russia and the United States are effective partners as we pursue peace and stability in Afghanistan and cooperate on issues like counterterrorism and counternarcotics.

Entrepreneurs, educators, artists, athletes, scientists, and bloggers have helped strengthen the bonds between our societies and our countries by participating in cultural, educational, and people-to-people exchanges. We look forward to even closer ties with the ratification of agreements to increase the duration of business and tourist visas and to strengthen protections and procedures for intercountry adoptions. Our people are connected in more ways than ever before thanks in part to the efforts of our Bilateral Presidential Commission.

As you celebrate your national day, I send all Russians my warmest wishes for a peaceful, productive and prosperous year to come.

RUSSIA INVITED TO JOIN NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY

Photo:  Hope Creek Nuclear Plant.   Credit:  Wikimedia.
FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
United States Welcomes Invitation for Russia to Join the Nuclear Energy Agency
Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
May 23, 2012
Today, Russia was invited to join the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) at a ceremony hosted by its parent body, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. Russia requested membership in the NEA, which is a leading intergovernmental authority for fostering nuclear safety and nuclear energy collaboration. The United States fully supports Russian membership, and looks forward to working with Russia in this area for the mutual benefit of all members. With its accession, Russia will bring its experience and focus on diverse nuclear energy technologies and approaches to the NEA.

The ceremony marking the invitation to Russia comes amidst the OECD’s yearly meeting of ministers and other high ranking officials from around the world. Ambassador Karen Kornbluh, U.S. Permanent Representative to the OECD, and Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Robert Hormats attended the ceremony on behalf of the United States. Russia is currently in the process of accession to the OECD.

The 30-member NEA is a specialized agency within the OECD. The NEA assists its member countries in maintaining and further developing the scientific, technological and legal bases required for a safe, environmentally friendly and economical use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. It provides authoritative assessments and works to forge common understandings on key issues as input to government decisions on nuclear energy policy and to broader OECD policy analyses in areas such as energy and sustainable development.