Putin presses US to sign treaty on nuclear cuts
The Kremlin called on Washington yesterday to join it in a new arms control treaty, committing the two countries to a radical reduction of nuclear warheads. President Vladimir Putin told the US secretary of state, Colin Powell, in the Kremlin that they should conclude the treaty when...
The Kremlin called on Washington yesterday to join it in a new arms control treaty, committing the two countries to a radical reduction of nuclear warheads.
President Vladimir Putin told the US secretary of state, Colin Powell, in the Kremlin that they should conclude the treaty when President George Bush visits Moscow for a summit, expected by the middle of next year.
Both countries have said they are ready to agree on big nuclear arms cuts, but Washington is reluctant to sign a legally binding pact.
Eager to do away with much of the nuclear arsenal Russia cannot afford to maintain, Mr Putin has spoken of reducing the stock of warheads to less than a quarter, around 1,500. In Texas last month, Mr Bush told Mr Putin that the US planned to cut its warheads from 7,000 to less than 2,200.
But his government is averse to international treaties, preferring to maintain the maximum room for manoeuvre, and has said that Russia and the US could simply shake hands and agree to slash their arsenals.
The Russians declined to say yesterday how many warheads they wanted to keep.
President Vladimir Putin told the US secretary of state, Colin Powell, in the Kremlin that they should conclude the treaty when President George Bush visits Moscow for a summit, expected by the middle of next year.
Both countries have said they are ready to agree on big nuclear arms cuts, but Washington is reluctant to sign a legally binding pact.
Eager to do away with much of the nuclear arsenal Russia cannot afford to maintain, Mr Putin has spoken of reducing the stock of warheads to less than a quarter, around 1,500. In Texas last month, Mr Bush told Mr Putin that the US planned to cut its warheads from 7,000 to less than 2,200.
But his government is averse to international treaties, preferring to maintain the maximum room for manoeuvre, and has said that Russia and the US could simply shake hands and agree to slash their arsenals.
The Russians declined to say yesterday how many warheads they wanted to keep.

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