Arthur E. Dewey Kaoru Ishikawa Partnership on Humanitarian Assistance

Press Statement Richard Boucher, Spokesman Washington, DC December 14, 2004

United States-Japan Bilateral Partnership on Humanitarian Assistance

The United States and Japan held the inaugural session December 13 of the U.S. – Japan Partnership on Humanitarian Assistance. The participants reaffirmed the strong level of cooperation between the United States and the Government of Japan on humanitarian issues and, as world leaders in humanitarian response situations, agreed to explore new avenues for continued collaboration and coordination.

Arthur E. Dewey, Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration, William J. Garvelink, USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance and Kaoru Ishikawa, Director General of the Global Issues Department for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led their respective delegations in discussing global and multilateral issues, including: policy priorities and practice of humanitarian assistance; human security; meeting global challenges multilaterally; food security issues; humanitarian initiatives and opportunities for sustained coordination in Iraq, Afghanistan and crises on the African continent.

The delegations agreed to continue these talks to determine a framework for increased cooperation between the governments in humanitarian affairs. The next meeting will be held in Tokyo in spring 2005.

2004/1360 [End] Released on December 14, 2004

(GPS) (GLONASS) United States – Russian Federation Joint Statement

Press Statement Richard Boucher, Spokesman Washington, DC December 14, 2004

United States – Russian Federation Joint Statement

Following is the text of a joint statement by the United States and the Russian Federation on the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS).

Delegations of the United States and the Russian Federation met in Washington D.C. on December 9-10, 2004, to continue discussions on matters relating to GPS and GLONASS cooperation.

Both sides reiterated their commitment to continuing these talks and reaffirmed that the United States and the Russian Federation intend to continue to provide the GPS and GLONASS civil signals appropriate for commercial, scientific and safety of life use on a continuous, worldwide basis, free of direct user fees.

The United States and the Russian Federation intend to cooperate, as appropriate, on matters of mutual interest related to civil satellite-based navigation and timing signals and systems, value-added services, and global navigation and timing goods in relevant international organizations and fora.

In particular, both sides intend to work together to the maximum extent practicable to maintain radio frequency compatibility in spectrum use between each other's satellite-based navigation and timing signals.

Both sides will work together to the maximum extent practicable to maintain compatibility and promote interoperability of GPS and GLONASS for civil user benefits worldwide. To this end, both sides intend to establish working groups on matters of development and use of GLONASS and GPS and their respective augmentations.

Both sides will begin preliminary discussions on an agreement for GPS – GLONASS cooperation.

2004/1357 [End]