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[Third Issue of the Day]
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Russia, U.S. Senators Discuss Arms
July 2, 2002
By JUDITH INGRAM
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's defense minister assured a visiting U.S. Senate delegation Tuesday that the Russian military's nuclear materials are well safeguarded and he urged the swift ratification of the two nations' new strategic arms reduction agreement.
Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott of Missouri and four accompanying American legislators that he spent several days and nights on the draft of the arms treaty, which was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Bush at their May summit in Moscow.
The treaty calls for the United States and Russia to slash their strategic nuclear arsenals by two-thirds over the next decade, to 1,700 to 2,200 deployed warheads each.
``I think that with the signing of this agreement and its ratification, we will have the opportunity to raise Russian-U.S. strategic relations to a new level,'' Ivanov said.
He urged the senators not to allow any foot-dragging on ratifying the treaty, and said he would encourage Russian legislators to act quickly as well.
``Let me assure you there won't be any procrastination in the Senate,'' Lott replied.
Other signs of the improved U.S.-Russian relationship are the two countries' cooperation in the anti-terrorist coalition, the new partnership between Russia and NATO, and Western aid to help secure Russia's weapons of mass destruction.
Last week, Russia's partners in the Group of Eight industrialized nations pledged a $20 billion, 10-year effort to help Russia scrap its decommissioned nuclear submarines, eradicate its chemical weapons arsenal, and improve security surrounding the nation's weapons of mass destruction.
Ivanov said the security issue had been ``blown out of proportion and politicized.''
``As defense minister, I am confident that Russian weapons are stored securely, and there have been no leakages of nuclear weapons,'' he said.
However, he said Russia would accept any further assistance gratefully.
Ivanov also reiterated Moscow's denials that through its construction of an atomic energy station in Iran, Russia was helping Tehran further its nuclear weapons program. He said Russia was just as interested as the United States in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.
Lott said his delegation's visit was intended to continue the dialogue that Putin and Bush had started. The delegation also met with Sergei Mironov, the speaker of the upper house of parliament and Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.
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