Obama to visit nuclear, biological weapons destruction facilities in former Soviet Union
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
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Washington Contact: Robert Gibbs or Tommy Vietor, (202) 228-5511
Illinois Contact: Julian Green, (312) 886-3506
Date: August 23, 2005
Obama to visit nuclear, biological weapons destruction facilities in former Soviet Union
Schedule for Obama, Lugar Trip to Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and England
WASHINGTON - On Wednesday, August 24th, U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) will begin a trip to visit nuclear and biological weapons destruction sites in Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar (R-IN). They will also meet with top political and military officials in each of these countries. The trip includes a strop in England and a meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
In 1991, Senator Lugar (R-IN) and former Senator Sam Nunn (D-GA) authored the Nunn-Lugar Act, which established the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Program. This program has provided U.S. funding and expertise to help the former Soviet Union safeguard and dismantle its enormous stockpiles of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, related materials, and delivery systems. Since the law was passed, the program has deactivated or destroyed: 6,760 nuclear warheads; 587 ICBMs; 483 ICBM silos; 32 ICBM mobile missile launchers; 150 bombers; 789 nuclear air-to-surface missiles; 436 submarine missile launchers; 549 submarine launched missiles; 28 nuclear submarines; and 194 nuclear test tunnels. Obama and Lugar will be reviewing the status of current CTR programs as well as looking for opportunities to expand the scope and reach of this highly effective program.
Friday, August 26
Senator Obama meets with Representatives of the International Republican Institute and National Democratic Institute to discuss democracy
Moscow, Russia
Obama, Lugar meet with Russian military officials
Moscow, Russia
Obama, Lugar meet with U.S. Ambassador to Russia William J. Burns
Moscow, Russia
Saturday, August 27
Obama, Lugar visit nuclear weapons storage facility
Saratov, Russia
Sunday, August 28
Obama, Lugar tour SS-24/SS-25 mobile missile elimination site
Perm, Russia
Monday, August 29
Obama, Lugar meet with Ukraine President Viktor Yushchenko
Kiev, Ukraine
Obama, Lugar attend wreath laying ceremony at Babyn Yar, the site of massacre perpetrated by the Nazis during World War II
Babyn Yar, Ukraine
Obama, Lugar meet with Ukranian political and military officials
Kiev, Ukraine
Obama, Lugar tour Central Epidemiological Station concerning biological weapons issues.
Kiev, Ukraine
Tuesday, August 30
Obama, Lugar tour conventional weapons site (Lugar and Obama are exploring the possibility of a Nunn-Lugar type program for eliminating heavy conventional weapons)
Donetsk, Ukraine
Wednesday, August 31
Obama, Lugar meet with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev. Separate meeting with opposition leaders in run-up to November, 2005 legislative lections.
Baku, Azerbaijan
Obama, Lugar visit Sangachal Terminal of the Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline
Baku, Azerbaijan
Thursday, September 1
Obama, Lugar visit Interim Command Center at the Maritime Border Guard Base where they will monitor a mock interdiction of a ship that would be suspected of carrying weapons of mass destruction
Caspian Sea
Baku, Azerbaijan
Obama, Lugar meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair
No. 10 Downing Street
London, England
Friday, September 2
Depart for United States