Russian lawmakers might wait to ratify the U.S.-Russian Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty until the United States ratifies the pact first, a top Russian legislator said Tuesday (see GSN, Dec. 19, 2002).

“Russia is closely watching their U.S. colleagues discussing the document,” said Gennady Seleznyov, speaker of the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian Parliament.  He pointed out Russia was the first to ratify the second Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty and its protocol, but the United States never followed suit. 

“Last time they cheated us,” Seleznyov said.

The current situation in the Middle East might also play a role in the Moscow Treaty’s ratification, Seleznyov said (see related GSN story, today).  Russia would like to see a peaceful resolution to the situation with Iraq before signing any new treaties, he said.

“The never-ending blackmailing of Iraq is not conductive for a favorable climate in this issue,” Seleznyov said (Diana Rudakova, ITAR-Tass, Jan. 14 in FBIS-SOV, Jan. 14).

The State Duma could begin ratifying the treaty by April, said Konstantin Kosachev, deputy chairman of the Duma’s International Affairs Committee (Associated Press/Moscow Times, Jan. 16).

For further information, see:

U.S.-Russia Nuclear Reduction Treaty Text (U.S. State Department)

Bush Announces Moscow Treaty

U.S. State Department Fact Sheet on Moscow Treaty

START II Text and Associated Documents (U.S. Defense Department)

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