(2014-1015-F) Russian-American Aide-Memoire

The materials in FOIA 2014-1015-F are a selective body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult the archivist about related materials. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request 2014-1015-F was for all records related to an agreement between the U.S. and Russia regarding sales of Russian military equipment to Iran. This agreement with Russia was simply called the Aide Memoire and was signed on June 30, 1995. This collection includes the staff and office files of the National Security Council (NSC) and responsive records from the Cable, Email and Records Management System of the NSC. It also includes responsive emails from the Automated Records Management System [Email]. The collection dates 1994 to 2000. Responsive records include administrative papers and documents related to the routing and drafting of memorandum. The collection also includes talking points and press guidance from 1999 and 2000 after the New York Times published a story on the agreement. Materials related to the U.S.-Russia Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) agreement are also included in this FOIA. This collection also includes some background and unclassified briefing materials for Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission 5 (GCC-5), GCC6, GCC-9, GCC-10. News reports, transcripts, and published materials in the news stemming from the New York Times are also included in the collection. The Aide Memoire was signed June 30, 1995 at the fifth meeting of the Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission. The Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission was officially the U.S.-Russian Joint Commission on Economic and Technological Cooperation. Established in 1993, the Commission was focused primarily on six topic areas with sub-committees in each of the six areas. At each of the meetings—and frequently between meetings—the Vice President and the Prime Minister would discuss diplomatic relations important to both countries. The commission fostered stronger communications and diplomatic relations between the two countries. It was reported in the news that in the June meeting of the GCC the sub-committees focused particularly in the areas of business investment, defense conversion, environment, health care, and agriculture. Under the auspices of defense conversion, Russia and the United States discussed space launch vehicles, nuclear weapons, nuclear materials, and the Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls (COCOM) among other topics. At the time, the Department of State noted that the meeting had been very successful and that the U.S. and Russia had now resolved “completely the issue of Russian arms sales to Iran.” Nicholas Burns who gave the briefing that Friday noted that this agreement—which had been negotiated for some time—allowed Russia into the post COCOM regime. Both Gore and Chernomyrdin mentioned coming to an agreement in their press statements on June 30th but did not give specifics. Under the agreement signed by Gore and Chernomyrdin in Moscow that June, Russia agreed to stop selling military arms to Iran after December 31, 1999. However in 1999 Russia informed the United States that they would continue selling arms to Iran after the deadline passed. The New York Times ran its story about the aide memoire on October 13, 2000. The majority of records related to this FOIA case are closed for national security reasons.