OREANDA-NEWS. May 7, 2008. The White House reports President of the United States George Bush to be pleased that the U.S.-Russian Agreement for Cooperation in the field of Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (also known as a 123 Agreement) was signed in Moscow on May 6.

During a press-conference on Tuesday White House Press Secretary Dana Perino quoted Bush as saying that the conclusion of this agreement, which advances U.S.-Russia nonproliferation and civil nuclear energy cooperation goals, has been a priority for both President Bush and President Putin.

In the Strategic Framework Declaration, issued in Sochi, Russia on April 6, 2008, the two leaders made clear that this agreement will create the necessary legal basis for expanded cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

The agreement will provide a framework for potential commercial sales of civil nuclear commodities to Russia by U.S companies. It will also pave the way for further cooperation under both bilateral and multinational programs and initiatives on nuclear energy and nonproliferation, such as the July 2007 U.S.-Russia Declaration on Nuclear Energy and Nonproliferation and the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP).