RIA NOVOSTI for ARGENPRESS
“The US is waiting for the new Russian-American Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) draft to be ready by the end of this December,” declared State Depart Spokesman, Ian Kelly, November 30, 2009.
“At this moment we trust in having a draft of the treaty (between the United States and Russia) by the end of December”, pointed out Kelly during a press conference in Washington. December 5 was the date in which the most current START-1 treaty expired.
In a press conference November 24, Kelly revealed that the US planned to have the draft of the treaty by the beginning of December but ruled out its ratification by these dates.
The spokesman of the American diplomacy pointed out on that occasion that the US is studying with Russia the possibility of maintaining the existing mechanism of mutual inspections.
“So work is done in two directions. On one hand, efforts are made to prepare the treaty by the beginning of December. On the other hand, procedures are sought for maintaining a series of existing clauses in force during the period between December 5 and the date in which the new treaty would be ratified “, summarized Kelly.
Previously, the director for Russia at the US Council of National Security, Michael McFaul, communicated that the US and Russia are negotiating an intermediate agreement to be in force between December 5 and the date of ratification of the new treaty.
Signed in 1991 and in force until December 5, 2009, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty START-1 required Moscow and Washington to reduce their nuclear warheads to 6.000 units to each side.
In 2002, Russia and the United States signed the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty, which established a reduction to levels between 1.700 and 2.200 nuclear warheads.
According to the latest estimations, by 2009 Russia counts with 3.909 nuclear warheads and 814 carriers, while the US possesses 5.576 warheads and 1.198 carriers.
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