Third round of Russia-US nuclear talks opens in Geneva

MOSCOW, June 22, 2009

(RIA Novosti) -

The third round of comprehensive Russia-U.S. talks on a new strategic arms reduction pact opened on Monday in Geneva, a Russian diplomat told RIA Novosti.

The first two rounds of Russia-U.S. arms reduction talks were held on May 19-20 in Moscow and on June 1-3 in Geneva. The U.S. team of negotiators is led by Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller, while the Russian delegation is headed by Anatoly Antonov, director of the Foreign Ministry's Department of Security and Disarmament.

"The talks are being held behind closed doors at the U.S. mission [in Geneva]," the source said, adding that they will continue until June 24.

The Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty (START 1), which expires in December 2009, obliges Russia and the United States to reduce nuclear warheads to 6,000 and their delivery vehicles to 1,600 each. In 2002, a follow-up agreement on strategic offensive arms reduction was concluded in Moscow. The agreement, known as the Moscow Treaty, envisioned cuts to 1,700-2,200 warheads by December 2012.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama agreed during their London meeting in early April that the talks would commence virtually immediately.

According to a report published by the U.S. State Department in April, as of January 1 Russia had 3,909 nuclear warheads and 814 delivery vehicles, including ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) and strategic bombers.

The same report said the United States had 5,576 warheads and 1,198 delivery vehicles.

Russia, which proposed a new arms reduction agreement with the U.S. in 2005, expects Washington to agree on a deal that would restrict not only the numbers of nuclear warheads, but also place limits on all existing kinds of delivery vehicles.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on June 20 he hopes the U.S. has a good understanding of Russia's position, voiced by President Medvedev, that any arms cuts should also involve a resolution on the controversial issue of a planned U.S. missile defense shield due to be deployed in Central Europe.

Medvedev hopes for progress in nuclear talks with U.S.

AMSTERDAM, June 20, 2009

(RIA Novosti) -

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Saturday he hopes his meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in July in Moscow will promote a new nuclear disarmament treaty.

"We are ready to cut our strategic delivery vehicles by several times compared to the START-1 treaty. As for warheads connected with these delivery vehicles, their number should be lower than the level envisioned by the Moscow Treaty of 2002," Medvedev told journalists.

"We are for real, effective and checkable cuts," he said, adding that at the meeting with Obama they will also discuss economic and regional problems, as well as other aspects of bilateral relations.

Under the Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty (START-1), which expires on December 5, Russia and the United States are to reduce their nuclear warheads to 6,000 and their delivery vehicles to 1,600 each.

In 2002, a follow-up agreement on strategic offensive arms reduction was concluded in Moscow. The agreement, known as the Moscow Treaty, envisioned cuts to 1,700-2,200 warheads by December 2012.

Medvedev and Obama agreed during their London meeting in early April on an immediate start to talks on a new strategic arms reduction treaty.

There have been two rounds of Russia-U.S. arms reduction talks (May 19-20 in Moscow and June 1-3 in Geneva). A third round is to be held on June 23-24 in Geneva.

Medvedev also said Saturday that strategic arms reductions are possible should Washington alleviate Moscow's concerns over the deployment of a U.S. missile defense shield in Central Europe.

"We cannot agree with U.S. plans to create a global missile defense, I would like to stress that the cuts we propose are only possible if the U.S. alleviates Russia's concerns," he said.

Russia opposes Washington's plans to deploy interceptor missiles in Poland and a tracking radar in the Czech Republic as a threat to its security. The United States says the shield elements are needed to counter possible strikes from rogue states such as Iran.

Obama has indicated he could put on hold his predecessor George Bush's plans concerning the third site for Washington's global missile defense system, which he said needed more analysis.

Russia could scrap nuclear arms alongside other nations - Putin

MOSCOW, June 10, 2009

(RIA Novosti) -

Russia could abandon nuclear weapons if other nuclear powers - official and unofficial - scrap them, the Russian prime minister said on Wednesday.

Asked by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier if he believed Russia could be secure without nuclear weapons, Vladimir Putin said: "You bet."

"Why do we need nuclear weapons?" he said. "Did we invent them or did we ever use them? If those who made the atomic bomb and used it are ready to abandon it, and if, as I hope, other powers that possess them [weapons] officially or unofficially are ready to do the same, we will heartily welcome and promote this process."

He added that Germany could make a valuable contribution to the process.

The official "nuclear club" comprises Russia, the United States, China, Britain and France, but Pakistan and India also possess nuclear weapons and North Korea conducted its second nuclear test on May 25.

In addition, Israel is widely suspected to have a nuclear arsenal.

Russia to keep at least 1,500 nuclear warheads

BALABANOVO (Kaluga Region),

June 10, 2009

(RIA Novosti) -

Russia's strategic nuclear forces need at least 1,500 nuclear warheads, and this must be taken into account in a new strategic arms deal, the commander of the Strategic Missile Forces said on Wednesday.

Col. Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov said Russia "must not go below the level of 1,500 nuclear warheads, but that is up to the country's political leadership to decide."

Under the Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty (START I), which expires on December 5, Russia and the United States are to reduce their nuclear warheads to 6,000 and their delivery vehicles to 1,600 each. In 2002, a follow-up agreement on strategic offensive arms reduction was concluded in Moscow. The agreement, known as the Moscow Treaty, envisioned cuts to 1,700-2,200 warheads by December 2012.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. President Barack Obama agreed during their London meeting in early April on an immediate start to talks on a new strategic arms reduction treaty.

The same report said the United States had 5,576 warheads and 1,198 delivery vehicles.

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