In the Spanish Hall, an ornate chamber within the Czech capital's Prague Castle , the two countries, which own more than 90 percent of the world's nuclear weapons, agreed to downsize their arsenals. The new ten-year pact, which is called the " New START Treaty ", requires the U.S. and Russia to cut their inventory of nuclear warheads to about 1,500 each in the next seven years. Both countries are estimated to have well over 2,000 warheads now. The pact replaces the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I), which was signed by U.S. President George H.W. Bush and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in the final days of the Soviet Union . START I expired in December of last year. The treaty complements the other two nuclear arms reduction treaties signed by the United States and Russia, which where the 1993 Russia, which where the 1993 START II treaty and the 2002 Moscow Treaty also known as SORT. Frank Gaffney , a former arms control adviser to President Ronald Reagan , says the president's nuclear posture review is based on a false and dangerous premise. "The idea that he can, by reducing America's nuclear arsenal, contribute to the universal abandonment of nuclear weaponry. It will not happen. It will not happen on his watch. It will not happen ever," he said. Obama said, "We are working together at the United Nations Security Council to pass strong sanctions on Iran and we will not tolerate actions that flout the NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty)." He added, "My expectation is that we are going to be able to secure strong, tough sanctions on Iran this spring." The nuclear treaty is almost certain to be approved in the Russian Duma . However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said Russia reserves the right to drop out of the pact if it believes U.S. missile defense plans for Europe threaten its security. Many experts agree passage in the U.S. Senate is not as certain, but that its prospects are good. To ratify the treaty, it will require 67 votes, to pass it will require Republican votes. Republicans in the Senate have expressed concerns that too many restrictions have been placed on America's nuclear arsenal.
In the Spanish Hall, an ornate chamber within the Czech capital's , the two countries, which own more than 90 percent of the world's nuclear weapons, agreed to downsize their arsenals. The new ten-year pact, which is called the " ", requires the U.S. and Russia to cut their inventory of nuclear warheads to about 1,500 each in the next seven years. Both countries are estimated to have well over 2,000 warheads now. The pact replaces the 1991 (START I), which was signed by U.S. President and Soviet President in the final days of the . START I expired in December of last year. The treaty complements the other two nuclear arms reduction treaties signed by the United States and Russia, which where the 1993 Russia, which where the 1993 treaty and the 2002 also known as SORT. , a former arms control adviser to President , says the president's nuclear posture review is based on a false and dangerous premise. "The idea that he can, by reducing America's nuclear arsenal, contribute to the universal abandonment of nuclear weaponry. It will not happen. It will not happen on his watch. It will not happen ever," he said. Obama said, "We are working together at the to pass strong sanctions on Iran and we will not tolerate actions that flout the (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty)." He added, "My expectation is that we are going to be able to secure strong, tough sanctions on Iran this spring." The nuclear treaty is almost certain to be approved in the . However, Russian Foreign Minister has said Russia reserves the right to drop out of the pact if it believes U.S. missile defense plans for Europe threaten its security. Many experts agree passage in the is not as certain, but that its prospects are good. To ratify the treaty, it will require 67 votes, to pass it will require votes. Republicans in the Senate have expressed concerns that too many restrictions have been placed on America's nuclear arsenal.
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Prague Castle
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New START Treaty
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Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty
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George H.W. Bush
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Mikhail Gorbachev
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Soviet Union
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START II
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Moscow Treaty
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Frank Gaffney
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Ronald Reagan
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United Nations Security Council
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NPT
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Russian Duma
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Sergei Lavrov
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U.S. Senate
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Republican