Saudi, Russian foreign ministers discuss regional issues in phone call    MWL chief meets Italian president in Rome; thanking him for supporting two-state solution    Saudi King and Crown Prince express condolences over deadly mid-air collision in Washington    National Cybersecurity Authority launches 2nd phase of Postgraduate Scholarship Program    Ettifaq sack Steven Gerrard after poor results, appoint Saad Al-Shehri as new head coach    GASTAT: Real GDP records growth of 4.4% in Q4 2024    Saudi Arabia launches inaugural Art Week Riyadh on April 6-13    Saudi crown prince and European Council president discuss over phone ways to enhance cooperation    Pentagon strips Gen Mark Milley of US security detail and clearance    Meta to pay $25m to settle Trump lawsuit over ban    Far-right vote on asylum rocks German parliament    Ex-US Senator Bob Menendez jailed for 11 years for bribery    HP is redefining the Future of Work with AI    NEOM's THE LINE set to begin vertical construction by end of year    Mona Lisa to be moved as part of major Louvre overhaul    Al-Nassr announces transfer of Brazilian forward Talisca to Fenerbahçe    Neymar bids heartfelt goodbye to Al-Hilal: I will always support you    SFDA chief rules out plan to ban sale of cigarettes or vapes    Al Hilal and Neymar mutually agree to part ways    Saudi Film Commission Joins Asian Film Commissions Network (AFCNet)    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Russia, US to cut nuke arms
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 07 - 07 - 2009

The Russian and US leaders Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama on Monday announced agreements on Afghanistan and cutting their nuclear arsenals as they sought a new era in battered relations.
The ex-Cold War foes issued a declaration on replacing a key disarmament treaty – including figures for major cuts in nuclear warheads – and clinched a breakthrough deal for US military transit for Afghanistan across Russia.
But as Obama made his first visit to Moscow as president, they still remained divided over US plans to install a missile defense shield in eastern Europe and Moscow's policy toward the pro-Western ex-Soviet state Georgia.
“The president and I agreed that the relationship between Russia and the United States (has suffered) from a sense of drift,” Obama said at joint news conference in the Kremlin with Medvedev. “We resolved to reset US-Russian relations. Today after less than six months of collaboration (since coming to office) we have done exactly that,” he added.
The signed declaration pledges to reach a new nuclear arms reduction pact to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).
Obama said it provides for cuts of “up to a third” from current limitations. It “commits both parties to a legally binding treaty that will reduce nuclear weapons,” the White House said. START is due to expire on Dec. 5 but the declaration gave no target date for a renewal, instructing negotiators to complete the work as quickly as possible.
The two sides also signed an agreement to resume bilateral military cooperation suspended last August over Moscow's war in Georgia. Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity “must be respected,” Obama said. “There are areas where we still disagree... we had a frank discussion on Georgia,” he said.
Obama was on Tuesday morning due to meet with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. – AgenciesThe nuclear arms cut declaration called for a reduction in the number of nuclear warheads in Russian and US strategic arsenals to between 1,500 and 1,675 within seven years and the number of ballistic missile carriers to between 500-1,100. The cuts go beyond the 2002 Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT) which calls for both countries to reduce the number of deployed warheads to between 1,700 and 2,200 on either side by 2012. “The declared reduction is a real agreement and it suits everyone,” said Alexei Malashenko, analyst with the Carnegie Centre in Moscow. “The Americans have decided to accept Russia as it is. Obama does not have the complexes from the Cold War and does not consider Russia to be an enemy of the United States.”
The Afghanistan accord means Russia has authorized the use of its airspace for the transit of US troops and arms, a major boost for Obama's bid to step up the fight against the Taleban. The deal permits up to 4,500 military flights per year, or about 12 per day, which can be loaded with troops, firearms, ammunition, military vehicles and spare parts, a senior US official said. The official said military flights would not be charged air navigation fees and that they would not stop on Russian territory. Previously Russia had only allowed the US to ship non-lethal military supplies across its territory by train.Global nuclear security summit
US President Barack Obama proposed that the US host a global nuclear security summit next year and suggested to President Dmitry Medvedev that Russia host a subsequent one in order to draft a new, “reinvigorated” non


Clic here to read the story from its source.