Russia, U.S. could sign new strategic arms deal by yearend - expert00:3903/12/2009

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20091203/157075375.html

Russia and the United States will most likely sign a new strategic arms reduction treaty by the end of this year, a Russian political analyst has said.

Moscow and Washington are still negotiating a replacement for the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I), the basis for Russian-U.S. strategic nuclear disarmament, which expires on December 5.

"The [new] agreement will not be signed on Saturday, but there is a possibility that it could be signed as early as mid-December," Alexei Arbatov, director of the Center for International Security Studies at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, said during a video conference between Moscow and Washington on Wednesday.

START I commits the parties to reducing their nuclear warheads to 6,000 and their delivery vehicles to 1,600 each. In 2002, a follow-up strategic arms reduction agreement was concluded in Moscow. The document, known as the Moscow Treaty, envisioned cuts to 1,700-2,200 warheads by December 2012.

An outline of the new pact was agreed during the Russian and U.S. presidents' bilateral summit in Moscow in July and includes cutting their countries' nuclear arsenals to 1,500-1,675 operational warheads and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000.

Russian and U.S. experts have held several rounds of talks on the new document since July, and have repeatedly expressed hope that the replacement for START I could be ready by December 5 deadline.

However, the U.S. Department of State said on Tuesday that the draft of the new treaty would most likely be ready by the end of December.

"It is not a tragedy that the new treaty is not signed by December 5. The tragedy, or a hard blow, to put it mildly, would be if the new treaty is not signed by May next year," Arbatov said.

He said an international conference will be held in May to discuss a new non-proliferation treaty and "all nuclear states are expecting the Russia-U.S. deal, which they have been promised."

"If the [new START] treaty is not signed by then, the conference will be a failure...and we might as well forget about a new non-proliferation regime, with all foreseeable consequences," Arbatov concluded.

Medvedev, Obama discuss new arms reduction pacthttp://en.rian.ru/russia/20091130/157046012.html

23:55 30/11/2009

MOSCOW, November 30 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian and U.S. presidents discussed a new bilateral arms reduction treaty in a phone conversation on Monday, the Kremlin said.

Moscow and Washington are negotiating a replacement for the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I), the basis for Russian-U.S. strategic nuclear disarmament, which expires on December 5.

Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama "touched on issues of future cooperation between Russia and the United States in stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan, and also discussed progress in preparing a new treaty on strategic arms reduction," the Kremlin said.

An outline of the new pact was agreed during a summit held by Obama and Medvedev in Moscow in July, and includes cutting their countries' nuclear arsenals to 1,500-1,675 operational warheads and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000.

Obama also conveyed his condolences to the families of those killed in last Friday's terrorist attack on a train travelling from Moscow to St. Petersburg.

A total of 26 people have been confirmed dead following the derailment of several carriages of the Nevsky Express, and two remain unaccounted for.

OBAMA CALLING RUSSIA'S MEDVEDEV REGARDING NUCLEAR ARMS TREATY, A 30 Nov 2009 16:11:05 GMT http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N30450638.htmSource: ReutersOBAMA CALLING RUSSIA'S MEDVEDEV REGARDING NUCLEAR ARMS TREATY, AFGHANISTAN -WHITE HOUSE

Russia-U.S. weapons talks on track: Kremlin adviserSun Nov 1, 2009 6:18am EST

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Russia and the United States are on track to sign a new deal to reduce their arsenals of nuclear weapons by the time a previous agreement expires next month, a Kremlin aide said at a policy conference in Morocco.

The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty known as START-1 runs out on December 5 and negotiators have been working to prepare a new detailed treaty to be signed by the two nations' leaders.

President Barack Obama and Kremlin chief Dmitry Medvedev agreed in July on the outlines of a preliminary deal to replace the landmark 1991 treaty but negotiators are still working through several technical issues.

"We are still optimistic about ... signing a new agreement this year which will imply huge progress for the world in this matter," Arkady Dvorkovich, a top adviser to Medvedev, said at a World Policy Conference in Marrakesh.

"We have a very good and constructive dialogue right now on this matter. I think the obstacles are mostly technical and we can complete in time," he said late on Saturday.

Talks on the pact may have been facilitated by President Barack Obama's decision to roll back the plans of his predecessor George W. Bush for a missile shield in Eastern Europe by deploying a radar in the Czech Republic and interceptor missiles in Poland.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE5A00O520091101

U.S. ambassador: U.S. - Russia arms talks in final phaseToday at 10:33     | Interfax-Ukrainehttp://www.kyivpost.com/news/russia/detail/53451/

Moscow, November 24 (Interfax-AVN) - U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Beyrle said Moscow and Washington have made serious progress in talks on a new strategic arms reduction treaty.    

There is little time left indeed [before the expiration of the current treaty], but much has been done already, the U.S. ambassador said in an interview with Rossiiskaya Gazeta to be published on Nov. 24.

The delegations are in intensive talks, which have lasted for more than two months, he said. There have been pauses, but very many meetings have been held nevertheless, Beyrle said.

In Singapore the U.S. and Russian presidents confirmed their plan to sign a new treaty before the end of this year, he said.

Beyrle said he was convinced that the goal set would be achieved and the timeframe met. The talks have entered their final phase, the U.S. diplomat said.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=110834&sectionid=351020602

US, Russia close to striking nuke reduction dealMon, 09 Nov 2009 15:29:51 GMT

The US and Russia have presumably started the final phase of their lengthy talks on the strategic arms reduction, a move that could produce a new nuclear disarmament treaty to replace the existing one.

The START I (the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), the basis for Russian-US strategic nuclear disarmament, is set to expire on December 5.

"The negotiations resumed this morning at the Russian mission and will last about a month until December 5," a Russian diplomat told AFP in Geneva on Monday.

Delegations from the two countries are divided into "four working groups on specific subjects," and should "meet alternately at the Russian mission and the American mission during this period," added the source.

The outlines of the new pact were agreed during a Moscow summit in July, when Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his US counterpart Barack Obama accepted to reduce both countries' nuclear weapons to 1,500-1,675 operational warheads and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000.

The 1991 START I commits the parties to reduce their nuclear warheads to 6,000 and their delivery vehicles to 1,600 each.

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

Analysts maintain that Obama's plan to dismantle a missile project in Eastern Europe which was devised by the former president George W. Bush has served as a momentum for the resumption of nuclear disarmament talks between former Cold War foes.

Moscow was strongly opposed to the US missile plan in Europe, saying the project would be a direct threat to its own national security. 

http://www.kyivpost.com/news/russia/detail/52134/

Medvedev: Arms control deal with United States can be reached

Today at 14:58 MOSCOW (AP) — Russia and the United States have a good chance at signing a new nuclear arms reduction deal before year's end, but other nuclear powers must join disarmament efforts to move toward a nuclear-free world, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in remarks released Saturday.

Medvedev told the German magazine Der Spiegel that the U.S.-Russian arms control talks have been going at a good pace. "We have every chance to agree on a new treaty, determine new (weapons) levels and control measures and sign a legally obliging document in the end of the year," he said in remarks released by the Kremlin.

Moscow and Washington are negotiating a successor deal to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty that expires on Dec. 5. Efforts to slash U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals have been a major part of President Barack Obama's push to "reset" relations with Russia, which became tense under the previous administration.

Russian and U.S. diplomats are set to launch another round of negotiations in Geneva on Monday. A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman has voiced hope it would be conclusive.

While speaking optimistically on a new U.S.-Russian arms deal, Medvedev sounded less upbeat about the prospect of the complete abolition of nuclear weapons. President Barack Obama and Medvedev both said last April they were committed to the eventual goal of a nuclear-free world.

Medvedev told De Spiegel that other nuclear powers have been reluctant to join in disarmament efforts. "A nuclear-free world is our shared ideal for which we must aspire, but a road to that is difficult," he said. "It takes not just the United States and Russia renouncing nuclear weapons, but other countries as well."

From today's Russia Country Brief

Oct. 29. 2009, 11:03

Interfax: Moscow inclined for intensive work on new arms reduction treaty - Lavrov

http://www.interfax-russia.ru/r/B/themeday/486.html?id_issue=12317376

 

/Google translation/

October 29. Interfax-Russia.ru - Moscow is sure that only close work will comply with the agreement of Russia-US summit on a new contract until December 5, when the Treaty expires on the reduction of offensive weapons.

"We believe that only the most intensive work will comply with the agreement of our presidents about how to do what is necessary to conclude a new treaty on limiting strategic arms before the expiry of the existing agreement," - said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a meeting with U.S. National Security Adviser to the President James Jones.

"We consider it very important the presence of the heads of delegation talks in Geneva, which act professionally, with full awareness of responsibility and promote the agreement, which will reflect the balance of interests between Russia and the United States in the crucial area of strategic stability" - the minister said.

He also noted the presence of the ambassadors of both countries at the current meeting in Moscow, and jokingly remarked that it was his "will, ultimately, answer for everything.

For its part James Jones thanked Lavrov for his hospitality and said that he had the opportunity to dine with Russia's Minister of the previous evening.

He conveyed greetings of U.S. President Barack Obama and his attitude, which says that "Russia and the U.S. are on the right track."

According James Jones, Russia and the U.S. partners to move towards your goals.

 

RIA: U.S. national security adviser visits Russia for arms talks

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20091029/156632627.html

 

11:2329/10/2009

MOSCOW, October 29 (RIA Novosti) - The U.S. president's national security adviser, Gen. James Jones, is visiting Russia for nuclear arms reduction talks.

Welcoming the U.S. general, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his visit was "very timely."

"We believe that intensive efforts will allow us to fulfill our presidents' agreements to sign a new START treaty by the time the current treaty expires," Lavrov said.

Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev have hoped a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, the pillar of Russian-U.S. disarmament commitments which expires on December 5, 2009 , will be ready by early December.

The outlines of the new pact were agreed during the presidents' summit in Moscow in July and include cutting their countries' nuclear arsenals to 1,500-1,675 operational warheads and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000.

START 1 obliges the countries 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 document, known as the Moscow Treaty, envisioned cuts to 1,700-2,200 warheads by December 2012.

The latest round of talks took place in Geneva two weeks ago.

Observers have suggested that in Moscow Jones could also raise harsher sanctions against Iran over its nuclear ambitions and renewed tensions over Washington's missile defense plans for Europe.

AP: US security adviser in Moscow nuclear arms talks

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hORaqUYIOX_D2kPcliZRgyw9ZgAwD9BKLP1O0

(AP) – 11 minutes ago

MOSCOW — U.S. National Security Adviser James Jones met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday, opening a day of negotiations expected to focus on downsizing nuclear arsenals and the Iran issue.

Jones, who will meet his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev later Thursday, is pressed for time in negotiating an arms reduction treaty to replace the existing agreement between the former Cold War adversaries, which was signed in 1991 and expires in a little over a month.

Lavrov called his visit "very timely," in comments carried by state news agency RIA-Novosti.

"We believe that intensive efforts will allow us to fulfill our presidents' agreements to sign a new ... treaty by the time the current treaty expires," Lavrov said.

President Barack Obama and President Dmitry Medvedev agreed at a summer summit in Moscow to cut the number of nuclear warheads each possesses to between 1,500 and 1,675 within seven years.

Jones' visit comes as Iran was to respond to a U.N.-drafted plan on shipping the country's low-enriched uranium to Russia for further processing. The plan proposes a curtailment of any covert nuclear arms making abilities by Iran. Jones was expected to discuss the matter with Moscow.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

 

Russia Today: “Russia-US set to sign nuclear agreement”

http://russiatoday.com/Politics/2009-10-29/russia-us-sign-agreement.html/print

29 October, 2009, 10:02

Russia and the US hope a new deal to reduce nuclear stockpiles will be agreed upon by December. The new agreement is a key part the two nations’ attempts to rebuild their international relations.

RT’s Sophie Shevardnadze talked with the former US ambassador to West Germany, Richard Burt, a man who was a major player in hammering out the current treaty.

According to Burt, Russia and the US should be able to complete negotiations by December:

“I do not have any special information,” he said, “but all the signs are that I think the two sides should be able to do it by the December deadline. If they don’t meet the deadline, they will probably have an agreement by early January.”

The treaty will be, Burt says, an innovation on agreements of the past:

“It will have some reductions from existing deployments, but it will be very much along the lines of the treaty that I worked on in the early 1990s,” he pointed out.

“It will limit warheads that are deployed on missiles that can be delivered by bombers and it will leave both sides somewhere in the area of maybe 1650 warheads apiece,” he added.

 

----- Original Message -----From: "Chris Farnham" <chris.farnham@stratfor.com>To: "alerts" <alerts@stratfor.com>Sent: Thursday, October 29, 2009 11:10:18 AM GMT +01:00 Amsterdam / Berlin / Bern / Rome / Stockholm / ViennaSubject: [OS] G3* - RUSSIA/US - U.S. national security adviser visits Russia for        arms talks

The only thing I've seen so far today about James Earl Jones being in Russia.

You reckon he'll do the Darth Vader voice while he is there? "Sergei, I am your Father". [chris]

U.S. national security adviser visits Russia for arms talks11:2329/10/2009

MOSCOW, October 29 (RIA Novosti) - The U.S. president's national security adviser, Gen. James Jones, is visiting Russia for nuclear arms reduction talks.

Welcoming the U.S. general, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his visit was "very timely.""We believe that intensive efforts will allow us to fulfill our presidents' agreements to sign a new START treaty by the time the current treaty expires," Lavrov said.Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev have hoped a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, the pillar of Russian-U.S. disarmament commitments which expires on December 5, 2009 , will be ready by early December.

The outlines of the new pact were agreed during the presidents' summit in Moscow in July and include cutting their countries' nuclear arsenals to 1,500-1,675 operational warheads and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000.

START 1 obliges the countries 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 document, known as the Moscow Treaty, envisioned cuts to 1,700-2,200 warheads by December 2012.

The latest round of talks took place in Geneva   two weeks ago.

Observers have suggested that in Moscow Jones could also raise harsher sanctions against Iran over its nuclear ambitions and renewed tensions over Washington's missile defense plans for Europe.

Washington says talks to replace START 1 to continue in Moscow03:4028/10/2009

WASHINGTON, October 28 (RIA Novosti) - Washington says its U.S. National Security Adviser James Jones' primary aim of visiting Russia is to negotiate a new nuclear arms cuts treaty to replace START 1, a spokesman for the White House said.

"They're going to, I think, primarily to continue our discussions on renewing our START treaty... continue to make progress and get an agreement on something that we can sign this year to further cut the number of nuclear weapons that each side has," Robert Gibbs said.

The Kremlin said on Saturday the Russian and U.S. presidents hoped a treaty on nuclear arms cuts to replace START 1 would be ready by early December.

U.S. National Security Adviser Jones is expected to be in Moscow on October 28.

The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, the pillar of Russian-US disarmament commitments, expires on December 5.

The latest round of talks took place in Geneva two weeks ago.

The outlines of the new pact were agreed during the presidents' bilateral summit in Moscow in July and include cutting their countries' nuclear arsenals to 1,500-1,675 operational warheads and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000.

START 1 obliges the countries 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 document, known as the Moscow Treaty, envisioned cuts to 1,700-2,200 warheads by December 2012.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20091022/156560459.html

Russia says new U.S. anti-missile scheme may not be implemented

22:5322/10/2009

MOSCOW, October 22 (RIA Novosti) - Russia believes that the new U.S. plans to deploy ship-based interceptor missiles in Europe and later mobile land-based interceptors on the continent may never be realized, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

In September U.S. President Barack Obama cancelled plans to place 10 long-range ground-based interceptor missiles in Poland and a fixed radar in the Czech Republic. Due to a re-assessment of the threat for Iran, Washington announced a new scheme for a more flexible system, with a combination of land and sea-based interceptors based on the Standard Missile interceptor, SM-3.

Under the new plan, the U.S. would place ship-based SM-3s in the North and Mediterranean seas in 2011, and mobile land-based SM-3s in Central Europe by 2015.

In contrast to the previous system which was strongly opposed by Russia, the new multi-directional radars and missiles would not be able to penetrate deep into Russia's territory. However, Russian officials have voiced concerns over the new plans.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said: "Our understanding is that the United States plans to start gradually deploying missile defense elements in Europe that will be adjusted to counter a genuine missile threat."

On the planned scheme for deploying sea-based then land-based SM-3s, he said: "We do not think that the transition from one stage to the other is inevitable."

Nesterenko said the land-based defenses may prove unnecessary by the planned date of 2015.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Wednesday after talks with visiting U.S. Vice President Joe Biden that Poland was ready to take part in the reconfigured U.S. missile defense system.

His statement came a day after Prague said it expected the U.S. to present new specific U.S. missile defense proposals for the country.

Nesterenko said any missile defense configuration in Europe "must be based on joint assessments of real threats."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5huPzsmvuO-f9LOQa4coliOfl_AHwRussia and US to resume nuclear reduction talks

(AFP) – 2 hours ago

MOSCOW — Russia and the United States resume talks Monday in Geneva to thrash out a new agreement on limiting their nuclear arsenals, amid signs they are moving towards an accord.

Negotiators from the former Cold War foes come together for the latest meeting in negotiations aimed at replacing or renewing the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), a cornerstone of arms control between the two countries.

Washington and Moscow agreed earlier this year to reach a new nuclear deal to succeed START, which was hammered out in the dying days of the Soviet Union and expires on December 5.

Monday's talks are the seventh round in the marathon negotiations.

The process is an attempt to reach agreement between two countries whose relations were severely tested under the administration of the former US president George W. Bush.

Efforts to forge a new nuclear disarmament pact are also in line with a pledge made by US President Barack Obama in April during a speech in Prague to work towards a world free of nuclear weapons.

The last round of talks, which ended on October 2, lasted an unprecedented two weeks, compared to earlier sessions which lasted only three or four days.

Negotiations have so far been shrouded in secrecy, but Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last Tuesday indicated they were going in a positive direction.

"We have made substantial movement forward," Lavrov said at a joint press conference in Moscow with visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Russia and the United States are committed to continuing their efforts to get the job done by the December 5 deadline, the minister said.

Several days earlier, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the chances of reaching a deal by the deadline were "not bad".

"We have given our negotiators the task of finishing a deal in time. I think the chances are really not bad," Medvedev said in a interview with Russia's Channel One state television network.

He also praised the new US president for being more interested in disarmament than his predecessor, George W. Bush, saying that with the new administration "there is definitely a chance to reach a deal."

Medvedev also cautioned it would be "necessary to show wisdom on both sides", however.

The negotiations had been complicated by US plans to deploy missile defence facilities in Poland and the Czech Republic, which Moscow viewed as a threat.

But America's decision to scrap the project last month -- which was thought up by the previous US administration -- should be a boost to the anti-proliferation talks, according to analysts.

At a Moscow summit in July, Medvedev and Obama agreed to reduce the number of nuclear warheads in Russian and US strategic arsenals to between 1,500 and 1,675 within seven years.

They also agreed to cut the number of ballistic missile carriers to between 500 and 1,100.

Russia to do its best to sign arms cuts deal with U.S. by Dec.04:1719/10/2009MOSCOW, October 19 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will do its best to sign a new strategic arms reduction treaty with the United States by December, President Dmitry Medvedev said prior to his visit to Belgrade scheduled for Tuesday."Talks to work out a new, legally binding Russian-American agreement to reduce and limit the strategic offensive armaments are currently being held in Geneva," he told Serbian online publication Vecernje Novosti.

"We are doing everything necessary to achieve the signing of a relevant document by December," Medvedev said.Medvedev and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama agreed in July in Moscow on the outline of a deal to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START 1), which expires on December 5, including cutting their countries' nuclear arsenals to 1,500-1,675 operational warheads and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000.

The START-1 treaty obliges Russia and the U.S. 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 document, known as the Moscow Treaty, envisioned cuts to 1,700-2,200 warheads by December 2012.

Moscow and Washington have been involved in a series of closed-door talks to prepare a new arms reduction deal until December. Both sides have expressed hope that the new agreement would be signed before the expiration of the current treaty.

Russia, U.S. have good chance to reach new arms cut deal: Medvedev

October 19, 2009

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-10/09/content_12201968.htm

MOSCOW, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- There is a good chance that Russia and the United States will clinch a new nuclear arms reduction treaty by the end of this year, President Dmitry Medvedev said Friday.

   "There is certainly a chance for the agreement, since the new U.S. administration has demonstrated interest in this topic," Medvedev told Russia's Channel One TV station in an interview to be broadcast Sunday.

   Medvedev said Russia and the United States have made progress in nuclear arms talks since President Barack Obama took office in January.

   Negotiators, the president said, have been instructed to reach a new deal before Dec. 5, when the existing Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-1) expires.

   "But both sides have to demonstrate wisdom and the desire to listen to each other, as well as an understanding of modern realities," he said.

   The president also said he strongly opposes the emergence of new nuclear powers. "We are against the extension of the nuclear club," he said. "Otherwise the situation will get out of control."

   Medvedev and Obama agreed in July in Moscow on the outline of are placement for the START-1, including slashing their countries' nuclear arsenals to 1,500-1,675 operational warheads and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000.

   The START-1, signed in 1991, places a limit of 6,000 strategic or long-range nuclear warheads on both countries. Editor: Anne Tang

Interfax's Interview http://www.interfax.com/17/520740/Interview.aspx

U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense Alexander Vershbow: We didn't expect any quid pro quo for our new approach for missile defense

Question: Mr Vershbow, сould you just briefly tell us the purpose of your visit to Moscow?

 

Answer: This was just a working visit, to have the opportunity to meet some Russian counterparts in the wake of the successful meetings between our two presidents, particularly the July Summit, but also the very successful meeting that they just had in New York. The Department of Defense is interested in playing its part in strengthening the relationship between Russia and the United States. There have been some very important recent decisions on missile defense, that is one subject that I work on at the Department of Defense, so one part of my agenda during these talks is to get a better understanding of the Russian reaction to President Obama’s decision and to determine whether Russia is interested in establishing a basis for cooperation on this. We believe that the new architecture that President Obama has announced provides a more effective and flexible way to defend all of Europe. Our focus of course has been on our allies in NATO, but we at the same time believe that there could be many opportunities for cooperation with Russia, recognizing the fact that there are common threats from the proliferation of ballistic missiles and by the build up of ballistic missiles by Iran.

 

Q.: How has the so-called reset of Russian-U.S. relations affected the countries’ military cooperation? Are there any plans for U.S.-Russian joint military exercises?

 

A.: That was one of the subjects of my consultations today, especially at the Ministry of Defense. I think the first positive result of the reset for our military-to-military relationship was the framework document that was signed at the summit in July by Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff admiral Mullen and Russian Chief of the General Staff Gen Makarov. They also agreed upon a work plan for the remainder of 2009 with about 17 or 18 joint activities and they are working on a much bigger and more ambitious work plan for 2010. So we hope that these activities will move ahead on schedule and will involve a whole range of exchanges, visits, and I think in the future we will certainly be open to discussing joint exercises. So we are still at an early stage. But I think we already have a good basis to reset the military-to-military relationship.

 

Q.: Is the U.S. considering military options among others to help resolve the Iranian nuclear and missile problem?

 

A.: Secretary of Defense [Robert] Gates recently said that we never take any option off the table, but for now our priority is diplomacy. The meeting that is taking place tomorrow, October 1, is an opportunity for Iran to illustrate whether it is prepared to undertake the kind of measures that could convince the international community that it is not pursuing a nuclear weapons capability. The recent discovery of a secret facility for the enrichment of uranium and the recent tests of a series of ballistic missiles highlight just how urgent it is to resolve this issue. So we certainly will explore every possible opportunity to find a diplomatic solution, but we cannot allow this process to go on indefinitely given the continued advancement of Iran nuclear program. But I think that if diplomacy is not successful the next

step is much stricter sanctions. If the international community can agree on strict sanctions we hope that that would convince the Iranians to change direction.

 

Q.: How far do you think that Iran has progressed in its nuclear program, and could you please comment on reports that the U.S. side recently provided Russia with some new information about the Iranian nuclear program?

 

A.: I cannot go very deeply into this kind of sensitive information. It is clear that Iran has been making steady progress in its capability to enrich Uranium, and is therefore producing increasing amounts of material that could be transformed into fissile material for a nuclear weapon. So the situation is very urgent. And taken together with the development of ballistic missiles of various ranges it is all the more important for the international community to stand together, and convince the Iranians that the time has come to change course. Iran has the largest inventory of ballistic missiles in the Middle East. The fact that they have conducted tests just at the time when diplomacy is about to start does not inspire confidence. But nevertheless we will explore every opportunity for a diplomatic solution.

 

Q.: Is Geneva meeting the last chance for Iran to prove its willingness for dialog and the peaceful character of its nuclear program?

 

A.: We have not suggested that one meeting is all the time that we will allow for diplomacy to succeed. We would hope that this could be the beginning of a process that could lead to a solution, that provides the kind of verifiable assurances and measures to guarantee that Iran is not moving toward a nuclear weapon. Now this process may last more than one day, but it cannot go on indefinitely. And we have agreed with our main partners that we need to see progress before the end of the year, or else we will have to shift toward tougher measures, including stronger sanctions.

 

Q.: Do these “main partners” include Russia?

 

A.: I think we have had very good consultations with Russia, including President Obama’s meeting with President Medvedev, but Russia will have to speak for itself.

 

Q.: After revising its global missile defense plans, does the U.S. expect Russia to make reciprocal steps, including those regarding its stance on Iran’s nuclear program and the possible exports of S-300 air defense systems to Tehran?

 

A.: The new approach which we have decided upon for missile defense was based on an analysis of the threats and of the available technologies, and was not presented as something on which we expected any quid pro quo. But the issue of the possible Russian transfer of the S-300 is a very critical issue in its own right, and we have said to Russia many times that we believe that that system could be very destabilizing in the region, and therefore have urged Russia to exercise restraint. So this is not something which we are negotiating on but simply something that we believe that Russia should see as in its own interest.

 

Q.: How would you comment on the concerns of some Russian experts that the new U.S. anti-missile system could be even more dangerous to Russia than the previous one, and if need be could Washington provide guarantee to Moscow that the U.S. missile defense program will not be targeted against Russia?

 

A.: We look forward to further consultations with Russia to explain in greater detail than we have thus far the characteristics of the new system. Russia has already been briefed, primarily through the Russian ambassador in Washington who is a great expert in these matters. So we think Russia understands already the basic elements of the new architecture. But the whole rational for this new system is to deal with the threat from Iran, both the existing threats from short and medium range missiles, which are deployed today and already are capable of threatening not only Iran’s middleeastern neighbors but also some of our NATO allies in southeastern Europe. That’s what the first phases of the new system are focused on, providing immediate protection of our allies in the south east [of Europe]. But over time, to deal with future Iranian missiles which are already in the testing stage, and which will have longer range capacity to threaten allies in central Europe and northern Europe, the characteristics of the missiles which we are developing and the overall architecture, in our view, does not present any threat to Russia’s strategic nuclear forces. And so far I think we have found some understanding from Russia in this regard. But still, it is a new system and we are fully prepared to engage in consultations with Russia to answer any questions and to explore possibilities for cooperation. Iranian ballistic missiles are a potential threat not just to NATO but to all countries within range of these systems, and cooperating on either a U.S.-Russia or a NATO-Russia basis would be a very valuable way to strengthen our common security.

 

Q.: In what particular areas can Russia and the U.S. cooperate on missile defense? Does Washington consider the possibility that the two countries could jointly operate the Russian radar station in Gabala, Azerbaijan, and its S-300 and S-400 air defense systems?

 

A.: Secretary of Defense Gates and other senior defense officials have already pointed to the possibility of some form of link between Russian radars at Armavir, at Gabala, to provide additional data and early warning information that could benefit both of us in defending

against ballistic missile threats. Exactly how these links would be established and how it would work technically is of course for the experts. But I think that the basic idea of sharing this kind of information against a common threat makes sense. And of course it could be just the beginning of a program of cooperation between NATO and Russia or between the United States and Russia on missile defense.

 

Q.: The U.S. missile shield plan reportedly envisions the deployment of some of its elements in the Caucasus. Could it be in Georgia, Azerbaijan, or some other state?

 

A.: We are just at an early stage of designing this system and we are just beginning consultations with the allies in the southeast European region, as well as all our allies who could be part of the system in the long term. So, it’s really too early to comment on what countries might be participants in this system. I think that General O’Reilly, the head of our missile agency has emphasized that one of the keys to this system is to have  an early warning radar relatively close to Iran, within a thousand kilometers of Iran, to provide an immediate detection of a launch, so that the rest of the system could do good work trying to intercept the missile before it hits its target.

 

Q.: Could Georgia be part of it?

 

A.: I really cannot say anything about specific countries. Right now we are consulting with our NATO allies. I can’t say anything more. Russian General Staff Chief Nikolai Makarov told that Russia had a negative attitude to the possible deployment of U.S. missile defense sites in the Caucasus. I think the important thing to remember is that we are talking about defending against the potential threat and potential attacks against our territory, our allies’ territory, and potentially Russian territory. I think that defensive strategies are inherently ones that bring countries together, countries that are facing a common threat. So that’s why we would hope that we can establish a basis for cooperation with Russia, so that everyone interested are protected.

 

Q.: Russian-U.S. consultations on strategic nuclear forces are now being conducted in Geneva. The parties continue to differ on some issues, specifically: the number of nuclear delivery vehicles, the issue of delivery vehicles in non-nuclear equipment, and the relation between defensive and offensive weapons. Has any progress been achieved on any of these issues?

 

A.: It is not really very appropriate for me to comment on the issues in the center of negotiations. They are making progress. Our two presidents both agree that completing these

negotiations is not only necessary, but possible before the expiration of the START treaty on December 5. So I think the negotiators try to narrow the differences between our two sides and try to find acceptable solutions.

 

Q.: Which of the problems are more complicated?

 

A.: There are many complicated issues, and of course, the issue of verification which is also complicated. I think we have lots of experience going back many decades in negotiating on these issues, so I think that with the help of the experts and with political will from the leadership we will find solutions.

 

Q.: Are you optimistic about a successful conclusion of the negotiations by December?

 

A.: I am by nature an optimist. I think a successful conclusion of the negotiations is possible.

 

Q.: Can the U.S. agree that a new strategic arms deal with Russia would stipulate a certain ratio between defensive and offensive weapons?

 

A.: You have identified another issue that is being negotiated. The U.S. view is that this treaty is about the reduction of offensive nuclear arms, just as the START Treaty that it will replace was about offensive nuclear arms. We certainly understand the Russian view on the inter-relationship between offensive arms and defensive arms. We believe the focus of the talks should remain on the reduction of the offensive weapons. We certainly are ready to discuss missile defense on its own terms and as I have stressed we are interested in exploring the possibility of cooperation. But these are issues that our negotiators are talking about every day. Leave it to them to find a way forward.

 

Q.: Has the U.S. changed its position on the ratification of the adapted Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE)?

 

A.: I would not say that we have changed our position. We remain interested in finding a way to bring Russia back into the CFE Treaty, because it has unilaterally suspended its implementation.  And this suspension has now gone on for more than a year. So the situation is not satisfactory and we would like to find a way to bring Russia back into the treaty and

find a way to move forward toward the ratification of the CFE Treaty, but there are many issues that would have to be addressed in that process. We have lots of discussions between the United States and Russia on different approaches but so far we have not found a way to move forward. We are still interested in that, but the longer Russia remains out of the treaty, the more complicated the situation becomes.

The dialogue is continuing and we have not found the basis for a way forward. We are still searching.

 

Q.: When is the U.S. going to start using its right of military transit to Afghanistan through Russia?

 

A.: I can’t give you an exact date (when the U.S. will start transit through Afghanistan) There are still some procedural issues that are not quite completed. I don’t think there are any differences between the countries, but there are some processes that have to run their course. We are hoping that these flights can begin very soon. The agreement in July was a very important commitment by Russia to contribute to the success of the NATO operation in Afghanistan. And putting that agreement to effect, I think, will not only be of practical value, but will be a strong signal to people of Afghanistan and to the surrounding region that the United States and Russia are working together to deal with a major challenge to international security.

 

Q.: What else could Russia do in cooperation on Afghanistan?

 

A.: We continue to discuss other ways that Russia could contribute to the solution in Afghanistan. I think Russia is particularly interested in the problem of narcotics trafficking and it has already provided valuable training to some of the Afghan national police at the Domodedovo training center. And there may be other ways to deal with the narcotics problem, as well.  And of course, Russia may be able to make an important contribution to Afghanistan’s economic development, which is one of the many elements of the international community’s strategy to strengthen the Afghan  state and to strengthen the attractiveness of the legitimate government of Afghanistan and to reduce the appeal of the Taliban.

 

Q.: The U.S. earlier criticized Russia for failing to honor its obligations on reducing tactical nuclear weapons in Europe. Does Washington still see the things this way?

 

A.: Well, this is a subject I think that we would like to take up maybe at the next stage of the nuclear arms reductions process. President Obama, of course, has laid out a very ambitious

agenda to substantially reduce and, in the long term, eliminate our nuclear weapons. In the current negotiations we're focusing on the strategic arms, but I believe President Obama would certainly want to explore with Russian leaders the possibility of extending the disarmament process to tactical nuclear weapons in the future. But I think it's premature to speculate on the details of this. First we need to get the START-following treaty finished and then move on both to implement that treaty and begin a new stage of nuclear arms reduction talks.

 

Q.: Reduction of tactical nuclear weapons?

 

A.: I think that's certainly one of the possibilities that's definitely in our conceptual framework.

 

Q.: An independent international commission has determined that it was Georgia which started the war in the South Caucasus last August. Do you think these findings could affect the U.S.’ military cooperation with Georgia?

 

A.: Washington is still studying this report, from what I have read only in the news it talks about the responsibility of both sides, but I think that it is really premature to draw any other conclusions before we have a chance to fully assess the report. We have always stood by Georgia’s sovereignty and independence and we will continue to support Georgia’s sovereignty and independence, and in the context of this report we should await the first comments of the [U.S.] State Department.

 

Q.: But in any case you will continue to support the sovereignty and independence of Georgia?

 

A.: Yes. And of course we continue to support the territorial integrity [of Georgia].

More Interfax’s interviews...

New U.S.-Russia arms cuts deal to be ready by yearend — ambassador06:5909/10/2009MOSCOW, October 9 (RIA Novosti) - Washington and Moscow will be able to draft a new strategic arms reduction treaty by the end of the year, the U.S. ambassador to Russia said on Thursday.

"The talks' participants know that the goal is achievable," John Beyrle told the Moscow-based Vesti TV channel.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama agreed in July in Moscow on the outline of a deal to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-1), which expires on December 5, including cutting their countries' nuclear arsenals to 1,500-1,675 operational warheads and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000.

The START-1 treaty obliges Russia and the U.S. 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 document, known as the Moscow Treaty, envisioned cuts to 1,700-2,200 warheads by December 2012.

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.

The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed Thursday that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will visit Moscow on October 12-14. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Clinton are expected to discuss, among other things, the new arms reduction deal.

Russia set to hold 4-5 rounds of arms talks with U.S. by December

Source: (RIA Novosti)Time and Date: 15:36 08/09/2009URL: http://en.rian.ru/russia/20090908/156060212.html

MOSCOW, September 8  - Russia hopes to hold before December at least five rounds of talks with the United States on a new arms reduction deal to replace the existing START-1 treaty, the Russian foreign minister said Tuesday.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama agreed in July in Moscow on the outlines of a final deal to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-1), which expires on December 5.

"The latest round [of strategic arms reduction talks] was held at the beginning of September, and we are planning another 4 to 5 rounds by December when the START-1 treaty expires," Sergei Lavrov told a news conference after a meeting with Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak in Moscow.

Lavrov reiterated that a new agreement to replace START-1 required a thorough and comprehensive approach and it would be premature to announce any details before the final deal is concluded.

"It will be a package deal. These talks are usually based on the principle that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed," the minister said.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said last Thursday that a new round of the talks would be held on September 21.

The START 1 treaty 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 document, known as the Moscow Treaty, envisioned cuts to 1,700-2,200 warheads by December 2012.

Medvedev and Obama signed an agreement in July outlining the provisions of the new treaty, including cutting their countries' nuclear arsenals to 1,500-1,675 operational warheads and delivery vehicles to 500-1,000.

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.

Medvedev, Obama sign deal to cut nuclear arsenals

Source: Ria NovostiTime: 19:36 06/07/2009URL: http://en.rian.ru/russia/20090706/155448293.html

MOSCOW, July 6 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian and U.S. presidents signed a preliminary agreement on Monday to cut their countries' nuclear arsenals to 1,500-1,675 operational warheads within seven years after a new arms reduction treaty comes into force.

The framework deal agreed during Kremlin talks between Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama during the U.S. leader's first visit to Russia sets guidelines for a new treaty to replace the START 1 pact, due to expire in December. The two countries' current levels are estimated at over 2,200 warheads.

"Within seven years after this treaty comes into force, and in the future, the limits for strategic delivery systems should be within the range of 500-1,100 units and for warheads linked to them within the range of 1,500-1,675 units," the framework agreement said.

Medvedev called the treaty a "basic element of our mutual security."

The document says the new treaty should be signed in the near future and would be in effect for 10 years. Russian officials earlier said it could be signed late this year or early in 2010.

Under the agreement, the two nations can only deploy warheads on their sovereign territories, and the new treaty will not cover cooperation in the sphere with third countries.

http://www.moscowtimes.ru/news/article/382305/

Lavrov Hails Progress on Talks For New Arms Pact With U.S. 04 September 2009 Reuters

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday that Russia and the United States have made progress on reaching a new deal to cut vast Cold War arsenals of nuclear weapons.

President Barack Obama and Kremlin chief Dmitry Medvedev agreed in July on the outlines of a preliminary deal to replace the landmark 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, but negotiators are facing a host of technical issues in talks.

Lavrov said negotiators had made progress on difficult issues and would report to both presidents when they meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Pittsburgh later this month.

“We will have something to report by Pittsburgh,” Lavrov said.

Lavrov said he was confident that a replacement to the START I treaty would be found before it expires in December.

Finding agreement on a replacement for START I, signed by George Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev just months before the close of the Cold War, is seen by both sides as a way to “reset” relations after the friction of recent years.

But many hurdles still remain before a deal can be signed, including U.S. plans to deploy elements of a missile defense shield in Europe.

“We need to resolve many, rather difficult questions involving the security of Russia and the United States,” Lavrov said.

U.S., Russia to hold strategic arms reduction talks in Geneva

http://en.rian.ru/world/20090903/156012492.html

MOSCOW, September 3 (RIA Novosti) - A new round of talks on a nuclear arms reduction deal between Russia and the U.S. will take place in Geneva on September 21, the Russian Foreign Ministry's spokesman said on Thursday.

U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev agreed in July in Moscow on the outlines of a deal to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-1), which expires on December 5.

"It has been decided that the next round of talks will be held on September 21 in Geneva," Andrei Nesterenko said.

The September meeting will be the sixth such meeting.

Nesterenko said that during the last meeting, the participants discussed the parameters of the new treaty, formulating wording that presidents Obama and Medvedev could both agree to.

"Both parties have begun discussions of the correct text formulation of the agreement being tailored, and working groups have been formed for itemized discussions," Nesterenko said.

The spokesman said Russia was pleased with the "strategic dialogue with the new U.S.

administration." He said current dialogue is aimed at "reaching positive results, and has a healthy and pragmatic approach."

Earlier on Thursday Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia and the U.S. were making headway on work to have a new nuclear arms reduction deal in place by the time the current treaty expires.

However, Moscow and Washington have yet to agree on reductions in arms delivery vehicles.

"There are a lot of issues that are quite complex in regard to the security of the Russian Federation and the United States, as well as issues of strategic stability," Lavrov said.

"However, we need to work in the timeframe the presidents defined and we will do everything we can to have the new document ready before the expiration of the current START treaty," he said.