And we do not think this is as far as we could go. Thus, it is quite possible not only to fully implement those agreements and initiatives in the field of nuclear disarmament that represent now one of the assets of the world community, but also to make a new breakthrough, both in qualitative and quantitative terms. I declare with all responsibility that Russia intends to work exactly towards this end. At the same time, it should be admitted that this historic chance could be missed if the foundation of the strategic stability in the world, indeed, its cornerstone the ABM Treaty of 1972 were to be destroyed. Unfortunately, such a possibility has become now quite realistic given plans declared by the United States to deploy a National ABM system prohibited by the Treaty.
Full clarity is needed here.
Further reductions in strategic offensive weapons can only be considered in the context of preservation of the ABM Treaty. The historic role of that instrument lies in the fact that it opened the way towards deep reductions in strategic offensive arms on a stable and transparent basis. One has to be fully aware of the fact that the prevailing system of arms control agreements is a complex and quite fragile structure. Once one of its key elements has been weakened, the entire system is destabilized. And in the context of globalization the interdependence of these elements has drastically increased.