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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman Taken Questions of September 16, 1993 1. RUSSIA-UKRAINE: NUCLEAR FACILITIES Q. Any comment on reports from the Russian military that Ukraine is taking control of nuclear weapons facilities on its territories? A. -- WE ARE AWARE OF THOSE REPORTS. --WE UNDERSTAND THAT RUSSIA AND UKRAINE MAY HAVE MADE PROGRESS ON ISSUES RELATED TO NUCLEAR WEAPONS ON THE TERRITORY OF UKRAINE, INCLUDING THEIR MAINTENANCE AND THEIR RETURN TO RUSSIA FOR DISMANTLING. --WE WELCOME PROGRESS IN THIS AREA. OF COURSE, THERE ARE ISSUES THAT REMAIN TO BE RESOLVED. --WE ARE IN REGULAR CONTACT WITH BOTH PARTIES TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO CARRY OUT THEIR OTHER OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE STRATEGIC ARMS REDUCTION TREATY AND THE LISBON PROTOCOL. 2. KAZAKHSTAN: Q. What is the status of Kazakhstan's nuclear weapons dismantlement and compliance with START? A. -- KAZAKHSTAN HAS RATIFIED THE STRATEGIC ARMS REDUCTION TREATY (START), THE FIRST STATE TO DO SO. --THE GOVERNMENT OF KAZAKHSTAN IS WORKING CLOSELY WITHIN THE START TREATY'S JOINT COMPLIANCE AND INSPECTION COMMITTEE (JCIC) TO PREPARE FOR START TREATY IMPLEMENTATION. --WE ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO KAZAKHSTAN'S ACCESSION TO THE NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION TREATY AS A NON-NUCLEAR WEAPONS STATE AT AN EARLY DATE. (###)