Secretary of Energy of the United States, Hazel R. O'Leary, Minister of Atomic Energy of the Russian Federation, Viktor Mikhailov, and Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Hans Blix, met in Vienna on 17 September 1996 to consider practical measures to fulfill statements by the President of the United States of September 1993 and the President of the Russian Federation of April 1996 concerning the application of IAEA verification of weapon origin fissile materials. The participants noted the importance of these commitments of the U.S. and Russia as a significant contribution to the fulfilment of the Principles and Objectives agreed upon at the 1995 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review and Extension Conference. Further, the Ministers noted that this endeavour is parallel to, and complementary to, the commitments made by Presidents Clinton and Yeltsin in September 1994 and May 1995 regarding the transparency and irreversibility of nuclear arms reductions. Specifically, in this meeting:
- The Ministers of the United States and the Russian Federation agreed to discuss technical methods designed to protect sensitive nuclear weapons information and to prevent its disclosure, and to hold appropriate consultations with the IAEA on this matter. It was agreed that it was essential to ensure that IAEA verification of relevant fissile materials would not undermine the obligations of the United States and the Russian Federation under Article I of the NPT.
- It was agreed that, to address the various technical, legal, and financial issues associated with implementing IAEA verification of relevant fissile materials, a joint group should be formed and shall report on progress in addressing these issues within nine months.
- All parties agreed that within six weeks of this meeting a trilateral visit to the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site and Hanford Site will occur to examine how the IAEA safeguards have been implemented at plutonium facilities under the existing U.S. Voluntary Offer. The trip will also include a visit to Argonne National Laboratory - West for a demonstration of remote monitoring technology.