Scrap the nukes: Russia and US to discuss new treaty
Published: 28 April, 2009, 07:35
TAGS: Arms, Meeting, Russia, USA
Russia and the U.S. will hold talks in mid-May on the next stage of nuclear weapons reductions.
The meeting in Moscow is to find a successor to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which expires in December.
That deal has been in place since 1991 as a way of reducing the number of nuclear warheads. Both Moscow and Washington say they are ready for further reductions.
Russian and U.S. experts on strategic offensive weapons will meet in May, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.
"Russian-American consultations on strategic offensive arms continue. The meeting will be held in May, but it is early to talk about a concrete date," Ryabkov told journalists on Monday.
After the first meeting between Russia and American experts in Rome, U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood said the next round of talks would take place in May and June.
Last week, Ryabkov said Russia would press for establishing a reduced level of nuclear warheads in Russia and the United States, as well as their delivery systems.
28.04.2009, 03:11
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They key issue here, is maintaining an effective operable nuclear deterrent against the US,NATO and EU. Provided we do this, I see no issues about reduction, however, we need be careful here. I believe just adjusting levels, based on parity with the US is the wrong approach. Because there are other players in the world, as well, on the sidelines in NATO and elsewhere. What we should be looking for, is parity against all enemies, and that means having an effecteive deterrent against NATO as a block, the EU as a block and the US individually. Basically the plan of the US with regard to Russia, is to get us to reduce our guard, and then use other smaller nations as proxy warriors, with or without nuclear weapons to conduct a war of attrition. To deny them this objective, we must be able to deliver catastrophic, unacceptable damage to their peoples. Then we can live in peace with them. Strategic weapons provide a part of this deterrence tool, so we must keep the tool sharp.