Joint Statement on the Inaugural Meeting of the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission Working Group on Threats to and in the Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the Context of International Security

The United States and the Russian Federation held the inaugural bilateral meeting of the Working Group on Threats to and in the Use of ICTs in the Context of International Security, under the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission, on November 21–22 in Washington, D.C.  In June 2013, President Obama and President Putin agreed to establish the working group to enhance confidence between the United States and the Russian Federation.  U.S. Special Assistant to the President and Cybersecurity Coordinator Michael Daniel and Russian Deputy Secretary of the Security Council Nikolay Klimashin chaired the meeting, and State Department Coordinator for Cyber Issues Christopher Painter and Russian Special Coordinator for Political Affairs in the Use of ICTs Andrey Krutskikh served as the co-coordinators. 

This meeting of the working group addressed a broad range of issues of mutual interest on threats to and in the use of ICTs in the context of international security.  A key component of the discussion concerned the implementation of the bilateral confidence building measures (CBMs) announced by Presidents Obama and Putin in June 2013.  These bilateral CBMs are intended to promote transparency and enhance strategic stability by reducing tensions caused by threats to and in the use of ICTs.  One CBM, for example, uses the Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers in Washington and Moscow to facilitate reliable, real-time bilateral communication about malicious activity concerning threats to and in the use of ICTs.  The participants discussed the implementation of the bilateral CBMs, and ways to promote regional CBMs in venues such as the OSCE and the ASEAN Regional Forum.

In addition to the CBMs, the working group also addressed policy issues such as norms of state behavior, cooperation to combat crime in the use of ICTs, and defense issues resulting from the use of ICTs.

The United States and the Russian Federation agreed to hold meetings of the Working Group on Threats to and in the Use of ICTs in the Context of International Security on a regular and scheduled basis.