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US, Russia to Sign Nuclear Arms Reduction Treaty on April 8

   VOA News 26 March 2010
   President  Barack  Obama  makes  a statement to reporters at the White
   House,  after  he  phoned Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to discuss
   the new START treaty, 26 Mar 2010

Photo: AP

   President  Barack  Obama  makes  a statement to reporters at the White
   House,  after  he  phoned Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to discuss
   the new START treaty, 26 Mar 2010

   President  Barack  Obama says the United States and Russia have agreed
   to  the  most  comprehensive  arms-control  agreement  in  nearly  two
   decades.
   The  landmark nuclear arms reduction treaty reduces by about one-third
   the  number  of  nuclear  weapons that the world's two largest nuclear
   powers will deploy.
   President  Obama  said  he  telephoned his Russian counterpart, Dmitri
   Medvedev,  Friday,  and  they  agreed  to  meet  in the Czech capital,
   Prague, to sign the new START treaty on April 8.
   He  said  the pact shows that the two nations intend to lead the world
   in reducing the nuclear threat.
   A  spokeswoman  for  President  Medvedev  told  Russia's Interfax news
   agency   the   agreement  reflects  the  balance  of  both  countries'
   interests.
   U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the pact will give Russia
   and  the  United  States  more credibility in non-proliferation and in
   dealing with countries like Iran and North Korea over nuclear issues.
   The U.S. Senate and the Russian Parliament must ratify the treaty.
   Mr.  Obama  said  the  treaty  also significantly reduces missiles and
   launchers  and establishes a strong and effective verification system.
   He  said  it  also  maintains  flexibility  needed to protect national
   security and guarantee the U.S. commitment to its allies' security.
   U.S.  and Russian negotiators have been working for nearly a year on a
   new  pact  to  replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which
   expired in December.
   The agreement would reduce each nation's nuclear arsenal from 2,200 to
   1,500  warheads  each.  The  sides  would  have  seven  years from the
   treaty's ratification to carry out the reductions.
   Verification  issues  and  Russian  opposition  to  U.S.  plans  for a
   missile-defense system in Europe had been holding up major progress in
   the talks.

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