US-Russian START talks treading on bumpy road
Saturday, 6 June 2009
Russia and the United States Wednesday wrapped up their second round of closed-door talks aimed at reaching a new strategic arms reduction agreement to replace the 1991 START treaty, which expires this December.
Analysts believe that a new treaty is in the political interests of both countries and will contain active and pragmatic ways to remodel their bilateral strategic ties.
But differences on what weapons to cut and how many stockpiles should be reduced on each side were hindering the process of their arms control talks, analysts said.
Steven Pifer of the Brookings Institution said: "In the immediate term, maintaining a strategic nuclear arms control framework beyound START and concluding a new agreement on strategic reduction can enhance U.S. security by promoting nuclear stability, strengthening predictability, and setting the stage for further reductions.
"A robust nuclear arms control dialogue historically has had a positive impact on the broader relationship between Washington and Moscow."
In Geneva, a nuclear disarmament expert told Xinhua the United States and Russia need to play their leadership roles in pushing forward the nuclear non-proliferation process.
Moscow and Washington have reportedly agreed to reducing their stockpiles to about 1,500 warheads apiece, down from the 2,200 allowed under an interim 2002 treaty.
Analysts said that even after the reduction, the two big military powers would still be deterrent-capable which means a world without nuclear weapons would be elusive.
Experts pointed out that the big gap between Russia and the United States in their views on arms reduction has made the talks very tough.
Obstacles mainly focus on four aspects: differing opinions on arms destruction, inspection, overseas deployment, and ways to count the weapons.
Russia wants to destroy the weapons, while the United States prefers to stockpile them, so that they could be re-deployed when needed.
Russia believes that a bilateral treaty should be reached first, which could guarantee the verification and inspection of arms reduction. The United States agrees with this, but wants a simple, low-cost procedure.
Different ways to count arms reduction remain another issue. For instance, a delivery vehicle made in Russia may carry five nuclear warheads, while a U.S. one could carry 10, thus to dismantle a number of vehicles would not necessarily mean destroying the same number of warheads.
In the second round of the U.S.-Russia START talks, Natalie Timakova, press secretary of President Dmitry Medvedev, said that the "complex process" is now underway, but it is still too early to make any conclusions on whether a concrete agreement could be reached before U.S. President Barack Obama visits Moscow in early July.
Russia has taken a cautious attitude toward the negotiating process because there are a number of disputes on disarmament, especially the missile defense issue.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on the eve of the negotiations that the final result of the talks must ensure "equal security" for all countries. This goal cannot be achieved without taking into account the situation in the field of missile defense, he said,indicating that the United States plans to set up a missile shield in eastern Europe.
Analysts believe that the missile defense issue is a key factor to deciding whether the two countries could sign the new treaty by the end of the year.
U.S. public opinion believes that the U.S.-Russia talks on reducing strategic offensive arms have offered an important platform for both sides to deal with differences and enhance mutual trust.
Other challenges such as the global financial crisis, climate change, energy security, anti-terrorist operations and the anti-proliferation campaign, also require the United States to improve relations and strengthen cooperation with Russia.
However, some neo-realists have advised the Obama administration not to be inspired by "certain positive signals" and have illusions about Russia.
While promoting nuclear disarmament talks with Russia, the Obama administration should encourage its European allies to reduce their energy dependence on Russia, maintain U.S. missile shield plans in eastern Europe, and reaffirm to Moscow its policy of supporting Ukraine and Georgia, Ariel Cohen, a foreign policy expert in the Washington-based think tank Heritage Foundation, said. — Xinhua
Analysts believe that a new treaty is in the political interests of both countries and will contain active and pragmatic ways to remodel their bilateral strategic ties.
But differences on what weapons to cut and how many stockpiles should be reduced on each side were hindering the process of their arms control talks, analysts said.
Steven Pifer of the Brookings Institution said: "In the immediate term, maintaining a strategic nuclear arms control framework beyound START and concluding a new agreement on strategic reduction can enhance U.S. security by promoting nuclear stability, strengthening predictability, and setting the stage for further reductions.
"A robust nuclear arms control dialogue historically has had a positive impact on the broader relationship between Washington and Moscow."
In Geneva, a nuclear disarmament expert told Xinhua the United States and Russia need to play their leadership roles in pushing forward the nuclear non-proliferation process.
Moscow and Washington have reportedly agreed to reducing their stockpiles to about 1,500 warheads apiece, down from the 2,200 allowed under an interim 2002 treaty.
Analysts said that even after the reduction, the two big military powers would still be deterrent-capable which means a world without nuclear weapons would be elusive.
Experts pointed out that the big gap between Russia and the United States in their views on arms reduction has made the talks very tough.
Obstacles mainly focus on four aspects: differing opinions on arms destruction, inspection, overseas deployment, and ways to count the weapons.
Russia wants to destroy the weapons, while the United States prefers to stockpile them, so that they could be re-deployed when needed.
Russia believes that a bilateral treaty should be reached first, which could guarantee the verification and inspection of arms reduction. The United States agrees with this, but wants a simple, low-cost procedure.
Different ways to count arms reduction remain another issue. For instance, a delivery vehicle made in Russia may carry five nuclear warheads, while a U.S. one could carry 10, thus to dismantle a number of vehicles would not necessarily mean destroying the same number of warheads.
In the second round of the U.S.-Russia START talks, Natalie Timakova, press secretary of President Dmitry Medvedev, said that the "complex process" is now underway, but it is still too early to make any conclusions on whether a concrete agreement could be reached before U.S. President Barack Obama visits Moscow in early July.
Russia has taken a cautious attitude toward the negotiating process because there are a number of disputes on disarmament, especially the missile defense issue.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on the eve of the negotiations that the final result of the talks must ensure "equal security" for all countries. This goal cannot be achieved without taking into account the situation in the field of missile defense, he said,indicating that the United States plans to set up a missile shield in eastern Europe.
Analysts believe that the missile defense issue is a key factor to deciding whether the two countries could sign the new treaty by the end of the year.
U.S. public opinion believes that the U.S.-Russia talks on reducing strategic offensive arms have offered an important platform for both sides to deal with differences and enhance mutual trust.
Other challenges such as the global financial crisis, climate change, energy security, anti-terrorist operations and the anti-proliferation campaign, also require the United States to improve relations and strengthen cooperation with Russia.
However, some neo-realists have advised the Obama administration not to be inspired by "certain positive signals" and have illusions about Russia.
While promoting nuclear disarmament talks with Russia, the Obama administration should encourage its European allies to reduce their energy dependence on Russia, maintain U.S. missile shield plans in eastern Europe, and reaffirm to Moscow its policy of supporting Ukraine and Georgia, Ariel Cohen, a foreign policy expert in the Washington-based think tank Heritage Foundation, said. — Xinhua