“Despite the difficulties arising from the declaration of Russia’s withdrawal from the ISTC, the organization is actively working on plans for its reform. This new direction will be critical for Russia, since the ISTC does not completely exclude the possibility of the resumption of cooperation with its Russian partners. Such cooperation will not be possible under the ISTC itself since the withdrawal process is irreversible . Russia, however, does not rule out the possibility of joining a new organization, created on the basis of the ISTC as a result of its reforms.”
Alexander Cheban, Representative of the Security Index journal in Ukraine
20 years of cooperation: What next?
Russia’s decision to withdraw from the ISTC in 2013 along with the news on the possible termination of cooperation between Russia and the United States under the Nunn–Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program may call into question not only the bilateral Russian-American cooperation in the field of nuclear security, but may also negatively impact on global nuclear security agenda.
To avoid this, the PIR Center is implementing the project on “The Future of the Global Partnership Program and Russia-US Cooperation in Nuclear Security“. Beginning in 2013, the Russia-U.S. expert group will be operating within the frameworks of the project, which includes leading scientists and experts from both countries. The Group members will present their recommendations to the governments of Russia and the United States.
Key issues of the project:
- Prospects for further Russia-U.S. bilateral and multilateral cooperation on nuclear security
- Development of nuclear technologies and future of nonproliferation
- Stability of existing international cooperation mechanisms for nuclear security
PIR Center Project:
- ·On April 19, 2012 PIR Center in cooperation with the ISTC and the U.S. Department of State held an International seminar on Lessons and Prospects for Multilateral Cooperation on Nuclear Security and Nonproliferation;
- ·PIR Center’s Consultant Dmitry Kovchegin participated in the 2012 Seoul NSS activities
- ·Meeting of the Trialogue Club International was organized with the participation of Ambassador-at-Large Vadim Lukov, which reviewed the current nuclear security activities of the G8 and G20
In 2013 a Study by PIR Center’s expert Working Group on Global Partnership and Russia-U.S. cooperation in nuclear security is published in Russian. The full text of the Study and its executive summary are available at PIR Center website.
Description of the Project (in pdf format)
Concept of the project
Executive Summary of the PIR Center report on
international cooperation in WMD nonproliferation and nuclear security field
PIR Center’s Study on international cooperation in WMD nonproliferation and nuclear security
