MOSCOW. May 28 (Interfax) - The Federation Council on Wednesday endorsed the law "On Ratification of the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty Between Russia and the United States."

A total of 140 Federation Council members voted in favor of the treaty, five opposed it and two abstained.

Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov briefed journalists in a closed-door session.

"The Federation Council discussed in detail all aspects of the treaty and approved this important document by a majority of votes," he said.

Chairman of the Federation Council's Foreign Affairs Committee Mikhail Margelov has pointed out that the ratification "fully meets Russia's interests."

"Under the document, each side is to reduce it amount of strategic nuclear warheads to 1,700-2,200 by December 31, 2012, which is approximately three times less than the maximum level of 6,000 stipulated by the current START Treaty," Margelov told Interfax.

Each side will determine the composition and structure of its strategic offensive weapons "on the basis of the total limit for the quantity of such" warheads, he said.

The treaty stipulates "emergency circumstances" under which Russia reserves the right to withdraw from the treaty "to protect its supreme interests," he said.

"Russia's ratification of the SOR Treaty meets our national interests and will fill in the legal vacuum in the strategic stability sphere after the United States' unilaterally withdrawal from the ABM Treaty," he said. The SOR Treaty will increase global stability, he said.

Chairman of the Federation Council's Defense and Security Committee Viktor Ozerov pointed out that a bilateral commission will convene at least twice a year to ensure the treaty is implemented.

"The treaty stipulates the sides' agreement to comply with the START Treaty up to December 5, 2009 and an option to prolong it. Thus, appropriate control over the situation with Russia and the United States' strategic arsenals will be ensured," Ozerov told Interfax.

"The qualitative and quantitative constraints on the means of delivery of strategic offensive weapons and their re-configuration envisioned in the START Treaty will play an important role in the implementation of the new treaty," he said.

CDI Russia Weekly #259 ~ Contents  •  Next