The Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has welcomed the ratification of the new START nuclear arms reduction treaty by both houses of the Russian parliament. The treaty was passed unanimously by the Federation Council today, 26 January, following approval by the Russian State Duma yesterday.
The treaty has already been approved by the United States in December 2010, and will reduce by a third the number of deployed nuclear weapons on both sides to around 1,550. It will also reduce the number of weapons delivery systems to 700, and introduce a strengthened programme of verification of the reductions.
Dr David Hutchinson Edgar, Chairperson of the Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said "The treaty's approval by the Russian parliament is excellent news. The new START treaty must now be followed-up with further bilateral and multilateral steps. This initiative by Presidents Obama and Medvedev gives vital impetus to the global disarmament process and its final enactment is a sign of hope for a more secure future."
