Global Security Newswire

A U.S.-Russian body charged with overseeing implementation of a bilateral strategic arms reduction treaty conducted two weeks of discussions that wrapped up on Tuesday, according to a statement from both governments (see GSN, Feb. 6).

The third meeting of the Bilateral Consultative Commission took place from Jan. 24 to Feb. 7 in Geneva, Switzerland. Participants addressed "practical issues related to the implementation" of the New START pact, and they formalized deals on the exchange of telemetric data from ICBM and submarine-fired missile trials under the treaty, according to the release. In addition, they settled on protocols for showing each other their systems to gather and display telemetric details and other related information.

The governments also determined how many strategic missile test launches would be subject to telemetric data sharing this year.

The Bilateral Consultative Commission must convene at least twice each year, the U.S. State Department has said.

New START, which entered into force on Feb. 5, 2011, requires each government by 2018 to reduce deployment of strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550, down from a cap of 2,200 mandated by this year under an older treaty. It also limits the number of fielded strategic warhead delivery platforms to 700, with an additional 100 systems permitted in reserve. The treaty calls for the nations to regularly share quantities, siting and schematics of armament equipment and sites (U.S. State Department release, Feb. 7).