Disarmament Diplomacy

Issue No. 57, May 2001

News Review

Russian Presidential Decree on Export Controls

On April 18, President Putin issued a 'Decree Amending the List of Goods and Technologies, the Exports of Which Are Subject to Control'. In the words of a summary provided by the Russian Foreign Ministry on April 24: "This document, undoubtedly, has marked a major new milestone in further strengthening the system of export controls in our country." The Ministry's statement continues:

"As is known, this List was made operative in 1996 to ensure the fulfilment of the international obligations of the Russian Federation arising from its participation in the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies. By this Decree the current List has been supplemented with a new section, Goods and Technologies to be Controlled out of National Security Considerations. It includes materials, equipment, information, and services that can contribute substantially to the creation of modern and advanced specimens of weapons and war materiel. This step, taken in our country for the first time, is aimed at reinforcing state controls over the transfer to foreign countries of results of scientific and technological activity having a great significance from the vantage point of protecting the defence-industrial potential of the Russian Federation. The Decree will enter into force three months after its official publication; that is, on July 18, 2001."

Report: Presidential decree amending list of dual-use goods and technologies, the exports of which are subject to control, Russian Foreign Ministry Statement, Document 733-24-04-2001, April 24.