Reference Number: No. 004-95

(703)697-3189(copies)

(703)697-5737(public/industry)

January 4, 1995

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Secretary of Defense William Perry and Ukrainian Minister of Defense Valeriy Shmarov today exchanged inaugural messages over a newly established government-to-government communications link (GGCL) between Washington and Kiev. In his transmission, Secretary Perry praised Ukraine's recent accession to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the increased cooperation between Ukraine and the U.S.

The GGCL connects the two capitals through computer terminals connected via satellite transmission circuits. Pre-formatted messages are composed on computer consoles and sent via computer modems. The GGCL was established to exchange notification information required by the START and Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaties and will include reporting on activities related to nuclear weapons systems elimination and inspections.

The GGCL is being funded under a $2.4 million Cooperative Threat Reduction(Nunn-Lugar) Program implementing agreement signed December 18, 1993 by DoD and Ukraine's Ministry of Defense. Assistance includes computer and communications equipment, training, and a satellite ground station. Similar communications links became operational in Belarus in August 1993 and in Kazakstan in October 1994.

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