Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, called henceforth member states,

CONFIRMING their adherence to the nonproliferation of nuclear armaments,

STRIVING for the elimination of all nuclear armaments, and

WISHING to act to strengthen international stability, have agreed on the following:

Article 1

The nuclear armaments that are part of the unified strategic armed forces insure the collective security of all members of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Article 2

The member states of this agreement confirm the obligation not to be the first to use nuclear weapons.

Article 3

The member states of this agreement are jointly drawing up a policy on nuclear matters.

Article 4

Until nuclear weapons have been completely eliminated on the territory of the Republics of Belarus and Ukraine, decisions on the need to use them are taken, by agreement with the heads of the member states of the agreement, by the R.S.F.S.R. (Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic) President, on the basis of procedures drawn up jointly by the member states.

Article 5

1. The Republics of Belarus and Ukraine undertake to join the 1968 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty as non-nuclear states and to conclude with the International Atomic Energy Agency the appropriate agreement guarantees.

2. The member states of this agreement undertake not to transfer to anyone nuclear weapons or other triggering devices and technologies, or control over such nuclear triggering devices, either directly or indirectly, as well as not in any way to help, encourage and prompt any state not possessing nuclear weapons to produce nuclear weapons or other nuclear triggering devices, and also control over such weapons or triggering devices.

3. The provisions of paragraph 2 of this article do not stand in the way of transferring nuclear weapons from Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine to R.S.F.S.R. territory with a view to destroying them.

Article 6

The member states of this agreement, in accordance with the international treaty, will assist in the eliminating of nuclear weapons. By July 1, 1992 Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine will insure the withdrawal of tactical nuclear weapons to central factory premises for dismantling under joint supervision.

Article 7

The Governments of Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Ukraine undertake to submit a treaty on strategic offensive arms for ratification to the Supreme Soviets of their states.

Article 8

This agreement requires ratification. It will come into force on the 30th day after the handing over of all ratification papers to the Government of the R.S.F.S.R. for safekeeping.

Done in Alma-Ata in one certified copy in Belarusan, Kazakh, Russian and Ukrainian languages, all texts being equally authentic.

(Signed at Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan by Stanislav Shushkevich, Belarus; Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan; Boris Yeltsin, Russian Federation; Leonid Kravchuk, Ukraine. (Text distributed by Tass)