540 



And finally, in my view, Mr. Chairman, I don't think we should 

 limit our scope to the threats to ourselves. Russians are Alaska's 

 close neighbors and increasingly are our personal finends. They 

 need our help and we should extend it, not only in our self interest 

 but in the interest of humanity. Thank you for the opportunity to 

 share by views, Mr. Chairman. 



Senator MURKOWSKI. Thank you very much, Dr. Lee Gorsuch. 



I think you've heard it all, ladies and gentlemen. I think we'd 

 agree that we've learned an awful lot today. I think we also agree 

 that our own government is going to have to make Arctic pollution 

 a priority, and I'll certainly make every effort to share with my 

 friends in the Senate the necessity of this. I intend to use this testi- 

 mony over an extended period of time for floor speeches on the floor 

 of the United States Senate to highlight the testimony given today 

 by the witnesses in order again to bring more public awareness to 

 the realities that have been discussed here. 



We've talked about a good deal of specific information but I think 

 we all are aware that we need to know much, much more. That's 

 been brought out time and time again. I think particularly about 

 the health impacts of disposal of radioactive material and the im- 

 plications on the plant life and the fauna and so forth. I think we'd 

 agree that in the general area of information, that is probably one 

 of the areas where we are clearly deficient. It's probably the most 

 difficult to get the documentation on as well. I think we're all in 

 agreement that we must work with the international community 

 and finally take action to marry science, and we're talking about 

 good science, with international organizations that can propose spe- 

 cific programs. I'm certainly very proud of the talent that has been 

 evident here in the testimony given by the experts. I think we've 

 also had an opportunity to show the world, as well as the national 

 scientific community, the capability of our own Alaska scientists 

 who are in residence here. We're very proud of them. And our pub- 

 lic officials and our Native leaders as well. I think it's fair to say 

 that we can all make a difference. 



And with regard to that, I would like to reiterate a remark that 

 was referred to by Secretary Bohlen in his statement relative to the 

 letter that was delivered to me last night from the Russian Ambas- 

 sador Lukin. And I'll just read the last paragraph because I think 

 it reflects the true extension of friendship and willingness for co- 

 operation. And it reads in this regard, 



Russia would be extremely interested in cooperation 

 with the United States in the field of monitoring of envi- 

 ronmental items in the Arctic on a bilateral basis as well 

 as in the framework of multi-international cooperation of 

 Arctic states and particular to the program of Arctic mon- 

 itoring and assessment. In our view, these hearings will be 

 a first step in putting on track a large practical bilateral 

 cooperation in this important field. I take this opportunity 

 to wish you a successful and fruitful work. With my re- 

 spects, Vladimir Lukin, Ambassador of Russia in the Unit- 

 ed States. 



So there we have, I think, the official position of the government 

 of Russia. I think that there was one mention of a reference with 



