17. PROTOCOL TO THE 1972 AGREEMENT ON THE PREVENTION OF INCIDENTS AT SEA Protocol to the Agreement between the Government of the United Signed at Washington May 22, 1973 The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, herein referred to as the Parties; Having agreed on measures directed to improve the safety of navigation of the ships of their respective armed forces on the high seas and flight of their military aircraft over the high seas, Recognizing that the objectives of the Agreement may be furthered by additional understandings, in particular concerning actions of naval ships and military aircraft with respect to the non-military ships of each Party, Further agree as follows: Article I The Parties shall take measures to notify the non-military ships of each Party on the provisions of the Agreement directed at securing mutual safety. Article II Ships and aircraft of the Parties shall not make simulated attacks by aiming guns, missile launchers, torpedo tubes and other weapons at non-military ships of the other Party, nor launch nor drop any objects near non-military ships of the other Party in such a manner as to be hazardous to these ships or to constitute a hazard to navigation. Article III This Protocol will enter into force on the day of its signing and will be considered as an integral part of the Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Prevention of Incidents On and Over the High Seas which was signed in Moscow on May 25, 1972. DONE on the 22nd day of May, 1973 in Washington, in two copies, each in the English and the Russian language, both texts having the same force. For the Government of the United States of America: J. P. WEINEL, Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy. For the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics: V. ALEKSEYEV, Admiral. 18. AGREEMENT ON THE PREVENTION OF NUCLEAR WAR (1973) Agreement Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Prevention of Nuclear War Signed at Washington June 22, 1973 The United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, hereinafter referred to as the Parties, Guided by the objectives of strengthening world peace and international security, Conscious that nuclear war would have devastating consequences for mankind, Proceeding from the desire to bring about conditions in which the danger of an outbreak of nuclear war anywhere in the world would be reduced and ultimately eliminated, Proceeding from their obligations under the Charter of the United Nations regarding the maintenance of peace, refraining from the threat or use of force, and the avoidance of war, and in conformity with the agreements to which either Party has subscribed, Proceeding from the Basic Principles of Relations between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics signed in Moscow on May 29, 1972, Reaffirming that the development of relations between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is not directed against other countries and their interests, Have agreed as follows: Article I The United States and the Soviet Union agree that an objective of their policies is to remove the danger of nuclear war and of the use of nuclear weapons. Accordingly, the Parties agree that they will act in such a manner as to prevent the development of situations capable of causing a dangerous exacerbation of their relations, as to avoid military confrontations and as to exclude the outbreak of nuclear war between them and between either of the Parties and other countries. Article II The Parties agree, in accordance with Article I and to realize the objective stated in that Article, to proceed from the premise that each Party will refrain from the threat or use of force against the other Party, against the allies of the other Party and against other countries, in circumstances which may endanger international peace and security. The Parties agree that they will be guided by these considerations in the formulation of their foreign policies and in their actions in the field of international relations. Article III The Parties undertake to develop their relations with each other and with other countries in a way consistent with the purposes of this Agreement. Article IV If at any time relations between the Parties or between either Party and other countries appear to involve the risk of a nuclear conflict, or if relations between countries not parties to this Agreement appear to involve the risk of nuclear war between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or between either Party and other countries, the United States and the Soviet Union, acting in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, shall immediately enter into urgent consultations with each other and make every effort to avert this risk. Article V Each Party shall be free to inform the Security Council of the United Nations, the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Governments of allied or other countries of the progress and outcome of consultations initiated in accordance with Article IV of this Agreement. Article VI Nothing in this Agreement shall affect or impair: (a) the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense as envisaged by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, (b) the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, including those relating to the maintenance or restoration of international peace and security, and (c) the obligations undertaken by either Party towards its allies or other countries in treaties, agreements, and other appropriate documents. Article VII This Agreement shall be of unlimited duration. Article VIII This Agreement shall enter into force upon signature. DONE at Washington on June 22, 1973, in two copies, each in the English and Russian languages, both texts being equally authentic. For the United States of America: RICHARD NIXON, President of the United States of America. For the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics: L. I. BREZHNEV, General Secretary of the Central Committee, CPSU. 19. JOINT STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES FOR THE Basic Principles of Negotiations on the Further Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms The President of the United States of America, Richard Nixon, and the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU, L. I. Brezhnev, Having thoroughly considered the question of the further limitation of strategic arms, and the progress already achieved in the current negotiations, Reaffirming their conviction that the earliest adoption of further limitations of strategic arms would be a major contribution in reducing the danger of an outbreak of nuclear war and in strengthening international peace and security, Have agreed as follows: First. The two Sides will continue active negotiations in order to work out a permanent agreement on more complete measures on the limitation of strategic offensive arms, as well as their subsequent reduction, proceeding from the Basic Principles of Relations between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics signed in Moscow on May 29, 1972, and from the Interim Agreement between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics of May 26, 1972 on Certain Measures with Respect to the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. Over the course of the next year the two Sides will make serious efforts to work out the provisions of the permanent agreement on more complete measures on the limitation of strategic offensive arms with the objective of signing it in 1974. Second. New agreements on the limitation of strategic offensive armaments will be based on the principles of the American-Soviet documents adopted in Moscow in May 1972 and the agreements reached in Washington in June 1973; and in particular, both Sides will be guided by the recognition of each other's equal security interests and by the recognition that efforts to obtain unilateral advantage, directly or indirectly, would be inconsistent with the strengthening of peaceful relations between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Third. The limitations placed on strategic offensive weapons can apply both to their quantitative aspects as well as to their qualitative improvement. Fourth. Limitations on strategic offensive arms must be subject to adequate verification by national technical means. Fifth. The modernization and replacement of strategic offensive arms would be permitted under conditions which will be formulated in the agreements to be concluded. |