Global Security Newswire

A top Russian military official today said his country would make no reductions to its nuclear deterrent until the United States clarifies its stance on a Bush administration plan to field missile defense elements in Poland and the Czech Republic, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, June 4).

Diplomats from both nations yesterday wrapped up a second round of negotiations aimed at replacing the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. A successor pact could potentially require cuts to the number of strategic nuclear warheads deployed by each side on delivery vehicles such as missiles and bomber aircraft.

"While the situation in the world is unclear, including concerning the missile defense system, we will not touch our nuclear potential," said Russian army chief of staff Nikolai Makarov, according to news reports.

The Obama administration has not formally stated whether it would move forward with plans to place 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar base in the Czech Republic (see GSN, May 22).

U.S. President Barack Obama has indicated his decision would be based on the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the technology and on the missile threat posed by Iran.

"We will be making practically no changes to the Russian strategic missile forces," Makarov said. "Strategic nuclear forces are a sacred question for us and we will give them as many resources as required to preserve stability in the world and keep it at an appropriate level."

Russia was waiting for the Obama administration to more clearly indicate its intentions for the missile defense plan, one high-level Russian diplomat said, adding that Moscow considered the proposed shield "an unnecessary complication in bilateral relations" (Agence France-Presse/Spacewar.com, June 5).