Russia, US sign new arms reduction treaty (Second Lead)
April 8th, 2010 - 6:44 pm ICT by IANS
Prague, April 8 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and US President Barack Obama signed Thursday a new treaty on the reduction of strategic offensive weapons to replace the START 1 treaty, which expired in December 2009.
The document is expected to bring Moscow and Washington to a new level of cooperation in the areas of nuclear disarmament and arms control.
The new strategic arms pact stipulates that the number of nuclear warheads is to be reduced to 1,550 on each side, while the number of operational and stockpiled delivery vehicles must not exceed 800 on each side.
Under the deal, which will have a validity term of ten years unless it is superseded by another strategic arms reduction agreement, strategic offensive weapons are to be based solely on the national territories of Russia and the US.
The document stipulates that each side has the right to unilaterally withdraw from the treaty if it decides that any of the provisions of the treaty could lead to an imminent threat to its national security.
Russia has emphasised its right to withdraw from the treaty if a quantitative and qualitative increase in US strategic missile defence significantly harmed the effectiveness of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces.
The treaty must be ratified by the Russian parliament and the US Congress and will come into force after the sides exchange instruments of ratification.
Russia does not insist on simultaneous ratification of the treaty.
Russian and US senators will hold meetings April 20-21 to discuss the ratification of a new arms reduction treaty.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
rd/dg
- Russia, US to ratify arms cut treaty in July - Jul 06, 2010
- Medvedev ready to sign law on ratification of START - Jan 27, 2011
- Medvedev, Biden to meet in Moscow - Mar 09, 2011
- Russia welcomes US Senate's ratification of arms cut deal - Dec 23, 2010
- Medvedev signs new START ratification document - Jan 28, 2011
- US, Russia to dispose of tonnes of weapon-grade plutonium - Jan 25, 2012
- Russia may boost nuclear potential: Minister - Feb 06, 2012
- Russia accuses US of flouting non-proliferation treaty - Aug 07, 2010
- Medvedev approves Russian-US plutonium disposal deal - Jun 07, 2011
- US mulls steep nuclear arsenal cuts - Feb 15, 2012
- Russia's lower house approves first reading of START treaty ratification - Dec 25, 2010
- Most Russians against nuclear disarmament: Poll - Jul 15, 2010
- US deploys more missiles than Russia - Oct 26, 2011
- Russia to reveal nuclear stockpile data - May 13, 2010
- US not cooperating with Russia on missile defence: Minister - Sep 04, 2011
Tags: barack obama, delivery vehicles, dg, dmitry medvedev, exchange instruments, imminent threat, missile defence, national territories, nuclear disarmament, nuclear warheads, offensive weapons, pact, ratification, ria novosti, russian parliament, russian president, start 1, strategic missile, strategic nuclear forces, us congress