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US, Russia begin talks on new START treaty
Rome (AFP) April 24, 2009 Russian and US diplomats began talks Friday in Rome aimed at replacing a landmark Cold War-era nuclear arms control treaty, a US embassy spokeswoman said. It was the first contact between the two sides since US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev pledged last month to seek a successor agreement to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) by the time it expires in December. The spokeswoman said that at the end of the short "technical" meeting the negotiators had agreed to resume talks in Washington some time in May. The two teams were headed by Rose Gottemoeller, US Assistant Secretary of State for Verification and Compliance, and Anatoly Antonov, head of the Russian foreign ministry's department for security and disarmament. Russian foreign ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said last week the task of the Rome meeting was "to prepare for the launch of the negotiation process in accordance with the instructions of Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama." From then on US and Russian negotiators will meet regularly, and START will also be discussed at a May meeting of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart Hillary Clinton, Nesterenko said. Signed in 1991, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty placed strict limits on the number of missiles and warheads that Moscow and Washington could have, leading to steep reductions in the nuclear arsenals of both sides. Talks on replacing the START treaty -- seen as a cornerstone of strategic arms control -- made little progress under Obama's predecessor George W. Bush. Nesterenko also said Russia welcomed Obama's statement that he would seek Senate ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which would place a broad ban on nuclear explosions for testing purposes. "We welcome Mr Obama's work toward the ratification of this agreement," Nesterenko said. Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Russia prepared to 'significantly' cut nuclear arsenal: general
Moscow (AFP) April 23, 2009Russia is prepared to "significantly" cut its nuclear arsenal if a deal is reached with the United States, the head of the Russian General Staff, Nikolai Makarov, said Thursday, Interfax reported. |
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