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U.S. to keep pushing for cuts in nuclear forces, comprehensive verification systems: expert

Politics Materials 12 June 2009 08:24 (UTC +04:00)
U.S. to keep pushing for cuts in nuclear forces, comprehensive verification systems: expert

Azerbaijan, Baku, June 11 / Trend , E. Tariverdiyeva/

The United States will most likely to keep pushing for further cuts in nuclear forces and comprehensive verification systems, U.S. expert on security Yannis Stivachtis wrote to Trend in an email.

"It is expected that President Obama will bring all these issues up in his meeting with the Russian President Medvedev in early July," Director on International Relations at University of Virginia Stivachtis wrote to Trend in am email.

Following reduction of nuclear warheads under new Treaty on the Reduction of Offensive Arms (START I), there should be no less than 1500 units, said commander of Russian Strategic Missile Forces (RMF) Nikolai Solovtsov, BBC reported.

Russian media reported about preparation to new START-2 in December 2008-January 2009. There was no concrete information about the agreement's content.

Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev agreed to launch talks in April in London to achieve interim results by Obama's visit to Moscow scheduled for July 6-8.

Stivachtis said the US Administration keeps its cards closed and does not wish to make any
definite statements regarding numbers before the negotiations have been completed.

"There has been a similar expectation from the Russian side but obviously Russian officials have come up with some numbers," expert said. "Anyhow, the Obama Administration would like to achieve the maximum possible reduction of nuclear forces."

Certainly, the number 1,500 represents some progress in comparison with past agreements and limits and therefore it could, in principle, be accepted.

"Russia remains a great power and its strength has increased considerably over the last years. US needs to take account of this development," the expert said.

The results of any negotiations constitute a reflection of the need of the parties involved to
compromise for otherwise negotiations will fail.

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