Statement from Sam Nunn on Moscow Summit

Former Senator Sam Nunn
Co-Chairman, Nuclear Threat Initiative
Regarding the Moscow Summit

“Presidents Obama and Medvedev made important commitments today in Moscow to work together to secure nuclear weapons and materials around the world and have re-engaged our two countries on critical arms control issues.  

“Both of our leaders understand that the essential steps required to reduce nuclear dangers must be accomplished together and that we must get other nations to join us. Much of the detail of this cooperative relationship will need to be developed over the course of their two presidencies.

“I am particularly pleased with the reestablishment of our military to military relations. This channel is critical for identifying new ways to increase launch warning and decision time, develop cooperative early warning and missile defense systems and reduce the role of nuclear weapons in our national security strategies. The United States and Russia must engage on these issues if we are to succeed in lowering numbers while preserving stability.

“Significant progress in reducing nuclear dangers will depend on the Presidents’ continued high-level leadership, focus and engagement. We must do all we can to prevent nuclear weapons and materials from getting into dangerous hands, to prevent their proliferation and, ultimately, to end them as a threat to the world. There should be no higher security priority than keeping nuclear weapons and materials out of the hands of terrorists.”  

Former Senator Sam Nunn is Co-Chairman of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a charitable organization working to reduce the threats from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. In 2007 and 2008, he joined with former Secretary of State George Shultz, former Secretary of Defense William Perry, and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in co-authoring two op-eds in The Wall Street Journal linking the vision of a world free of nuclear weapons with urgent steps that can be taken to immediately reduce nuclear dangers. More information about their efforts can be found at www.nuclearsecurityproject.org