Monday, December 06, 2010
‘U.S. stand on NPT, support for India on UNSC seat not at odds’
From The Hindu
The United States’ support for India’s candidacy for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council is consistent with U.S. interest in seeing India sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) according to a State Department spokesman.
In response to a question on how the U.S. could reconcile its position on India signing the NPT with its support for India’s UNSC seat, Philip Crowley, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, said, “We do not see those (goals) as being at odds.”
When asked whether India’s candidacy should be looked at equally with countries such as Japan, which has forsworn nuclear weapons entirely, or South Africa, which has given up nuclear weapons, Mr. Crowley said that India had shown itself to be a “responsible global stakeholder”.
He added that President Barack Obama had announced the U.S. position on the matter during his recent visit to the country, however emphasising that U.S. support for India on this issue was “not exclusive of our support for other countries” as well.
On the questions of non-proliferation and disarmament, Mr. Crowley reiterated that there had been no change in the U.S. position. “President Obama’s April 2009 speech in Prague envisioned a world without nuclear weapons,” he said, and given that the U.S. and India shared this vision, the two countries would continue to work together toward that goal.
“There is absolutely no contradiction between that recognition and U.S. commitment to the NPT,” Mr. Crowley noted, adding also that the U.S. was supportive of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty as well, even if India had reached an agreement with the Nuclear Suppliers Group for the transfer of civilian nuclear technology.
In the context of non-proliferation treaties, Mr. Crowley also pointed out that the State Department had been encouraging Pakistan to sign on to the Fissile Material Cut-off regime.
Labels: nuclear weapons, United Nations Security Council, United States-India relations
Friday, November 19, 2010
Setback to New START treaty ratification
From The Hindu
Prospects for the successful ratification of New START, the nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and Russia, suffered a dangerous setback this week as a key Republican Senator virtually ruled out supporting the treaty during the ongoing lame duck session in the U.S. Congress.
Senator John Kyl of Arizona said in a statement on Tuesday, “When Majority Leader Harry Reid asked me if I thought the treaty could be considered in the lame duck session, I replied I did not think so given the combination of other work Congress must do and the complex and unresolved issues related to START and modernisation.”
Though Mr. Kyl added that he appreciated the recent efforts by the Obama administration to address some of the issues he and his party had raised, the failure to pass the treaty during the lame duck session might entirely deny the Obama administration what is potential one of its most important foreign policy achievements.
If the treaty does not pass before the U.S. Congress reconvenes early next year, President Barack Obama will face an even more daunting challenge since the Democrats' hold over the Senate has been weakened after the elections earlier this month and they will hold only 51 seats in January.
Reacting to Mr. Kyl's refusal to engage on the matter sooner, Vice-President Joseph Biden said: “Failure to pass the New START Treaty this year would endanger our national security. Without ratification of this Treaty, we will have no Americans on the ground to inspect Russia's nuclear activities, no verification regime to track Russia's strategic nuclear arsenal, less cooperation between the two nations that account for 90 per cent of the world's nuclear weapons, and no verified nuclear reductions.”
Mr. Biden also noted the treaty was fundamental to the U.S.-Russia relationship, and critical to the U.S.' ability to provide supplies to its troops in Afghanistan. Further, it had salience in the context of imposing and enforcing strong sanctions on the Iranian government, he said.
Touching upon the quid pro quo element of the treaty between the White House and the Republicans, Mr. Biden underscored the fact that Mr. Obama had agreed to invest $80 billion on the modernisation of the U.S.' nuclear arsenal over the next decade, and, based on consultations with Mr. Kyl, had conceded an additional $4.1 billion for such modernisation over the next five years.
On possible next steps forward, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the administration would continue to engage with Mr. Kyl and others “in good faith... but our message is that the START Treaty should be ratified now.” Mr. Crowley added that the Obama administration had put forward a package that ensured the U.S. a strong nuclear deterrent.
Speaking days before Mr. Kyl revealed his unexpected blockade, Mr. Obama had said about the treaty's ratification, “I feel reasonably good about our prospects. It was voted out of committee with strong bipartisan support ... We have been in a series of conversations with Senator Kyl, whose top priority is making sure that the nuclear arsenal that we do have is modernised. I share that goal.”
Both the President and other senior White House officials such as Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes emphasised the broader foreign policy benefits that the “reset” in U.S.-Russia relations, which the treaty embodied, would bring.
Prospects for the successful ratification of New START, the nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and Russia, suffered a dangerous setback this week as a key Republican Senator virtually ruled out supporting the treaty during the ongoing lame duck session in the U.S. Congress.
Senator John Kyl of Arizona said in a statement on Tuesday, “When Majority Leader Harry Reid asked me if I thought the treaty could be considered in the lame duck session, I replied I did not think so given the combination of other work Congress must do and the complex and unresolved issues related to START and modernisation.”
Though Mr. Kyl added that he appreciated the recent efforts by the Obama administration to address some of the issues he and his party had raised, the failure to pass the treaty during the lame duck session might entirely deny the Obama administration what is potential one of its most important foreign policy achievements.
If the treaty does not pass before the U.S. Congress reconvenes early next year, President Barack Obama will face an even more daunting challenge since the Democrats' hold over the Senate has been weakened after the elections earlier this month and they will hold only 51 seats in January.
Reacting to Mr. Kyl's refusal to engage on the matter sooner, Vice-President Joseph Biden said: “Failure to pass the New START Treaty this year would endanger our national security. Without ratification of this Treaty, we will have no Americans on the ground to inspect Russia's nuclear activities, no verification regime to track Russia's strategic nuclear arsenal, less cooperation between the two nations that account for 90 per cent of the world's nuclear weapons, and no verified nuclear reductions.”
Mr. Biden also noted the treaty was fundamental to the U.S.-Russia relationship, and critical to the U.S.' ability to provide supplies to its troops in Afghanistan. Further, it had salience in the context of imposing and enforcing strong sanctions on the Iranian government, he said.
Touching upon the quid pro quo element of the treaty between the White House and the Republicans, Mr. Biden underscored the fact that Mr. Obama had agreed to invest $80 billion on the modernisation of the U.S.' nuclear arsenal over the next decade, and, based on consultations with Mr. Kyl, had conceded an additional $4.1 billion for such modernisation over the next five years.
On possible next steps forward, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the administration would continue to engage with Mr. Kyl and others “in good faith... but our message is that the START Treaty should be ratified now.” Mr. Crowley added that the Obama administration had put forward a package that ensured the U.S. a strong nuclear deterrent.
Speaking days before Mr. Kyl revealed his unexpected blockade, Mr. Obama had said about the treaty's ratification, “I feel reasonably good about our prospects. It was voted out of committee with strong bipartisan support ... We have been in a series of conversations with Senator Kyl, whose top priority is making sure that the nuclear arsenal that we do have is modernised. I share that goal.”
Both the President and other senior White House officials such as Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes emphasised the broader foreign policy benefits that the “reset” in U.S.-Russia relations, which the treaty embodied, would bring.
Labels: international treaty, nuclear weapons
Friday, March 26, 2010
U.S., Russia conclude START pact
From The Hindu
The United States and Russia have agreed the most “comprehensive arms control agreement in nearly two decades,” President Barack Obama announced here on Friday.
At a press conference Mr. Obama said that he had concluded a “productive phone call” with Russian President Dimitri Medvedev, bringing to a close more than a year of intense negotiations around reductions in the two countries' stocks of nuclear weapons.
Conceding that his aspiration for a nuclear-free world would not be reached “in the near future”, he said, that a fundamental part of that effort however was the negotiation of a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Russia.
Elaborating on some of the details of the new START Treaty, Mr. Obama said it would make progress in several areas.
These include reduction by about one third the nuclear weapons that the two countries would deploy, “significant” reductions in missiles and launchers and putting in place “a strong and effective verification regime.”
However the agreement also ensures the maintenance of the “flexibility” that the U.S. and Russia need to “protect and advance our national security, and to guarantee our unwavering commitment to the security of our Allies,” Mr. Obama noted.
In this context he underscored the importance of the 40-plus nations nuclear security summit in Washington next week and also discussions to be held in New York later in 2010.
Hoping that Congress would work with him on the non proliferation issue Mr. Obama said,
“There is a long tradition of bipartisan leadership on arms control. Presidents of both parties have recognized the necessity of securing and reducing these weapons.”
He added that his administration would be consulting Senators from both parties “as we prepare for what I hope will be strong, bipartisan support to ratify the new START treaty.”
The United States and Russia have agreed the most “comprehensive arms control agreement in nearly two decades,” President Barack Obama announced here on Friday.
At a press conference Mr. Obama said that he had concluded a “productive phone call” with Russian President Dimitri Medvedev, bringing to a close more than a year of intense negotiations around reductions in the two countries' stocks of nuclear weapons.
Conceding that his aspiration for a nuclear-free world would not be reached “in the near future”, he said, that a fundamental part of that effort however was the negotiation of a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Russia.
Elaborating on some of the details of the new START Treaty, Mr. Obama said it would make progress in several areas.
These include reduction by about one third the nuclear weapons that the two countries would deploy, “significant” reductions in missiles and launchers and putting in place “a strong and effective verification regime.”
However the agreement also ensures the maintenance of the “flexibility” that the U.S. and Russia need to “protect and advance our national security, and to guarantee our unwavering commitment to the security of our Allies,” Mr. Obama noted.
In this context he underscored the importance of the 40-plus nations nuclear security summit in Washington next week and also discussions to be held in New York later in 2010.
Hoping that Congress would work with him on the non proliferation issue Mr. Obama said,
“There is a long tradition of bipartisan leadership on arms control. Presidents of both parties have recognized the necessity of securing and reducing these weapons.”
He added that his administration would be consulting Senators from both parties “as we prepare for what I hope will be strong, bipartisan support to ratify the new START treaty.”
Labels: nuclear weapons, Russia, U.S.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Obama calls for global fuel bank
From The Hindu
On the 40th anniversary of the birth of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) President Obama reaffirmed the United States’ intention to push forward with dialogue on the three pillars of the non proliferation question – disarmament, non-proliferation and civil nuclear cooperation.
First, to promote disarmament, the U.S. was working with Russia on a new START Treaty aimed at reducing nuclear arsenals, Mr. Obama said. “Our forthcoming Nuclear Posture Review will move beyond outdated Cold War thinking and reduce the number and role of nuclear weapons in our national security strategy, even as we maintain a safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent”, Mr. Obama stated, adding that he would also press for the ratification of CTBT and FMCT.
Second, in the context of non-proliferation Mr. Obama shifted the spotlight to the upcoming Nuclear Security Summit in April, during which 40 nations would come together “with the goal of securing the world’s vulnerable nuclear materials in four years”. This would be linked to enforcing the rights and responsibilities of every nation, he added.
Third, arguing that all nations have an inalienable right to peaceful nuclear energy Mr. Obama said he would seek “a new framework for civil nuclear cooperation among nations, including an international fuel bank and the necessary resources and authority to strengthen the International Atomic Energy Agency”. This would unlock advances in the fields of medicine, agriculture and economic development.
Alluding to his speech in Prague last year, the President recalled his ultimate vision of a world free of nuclear weapons.
On the 40th anniversary of the birth of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) President Obama reaffirmed the United States’ intention to push forward with dialogue on the three pillars of the non proliferation question – disarmament, non-proliferation and civil nuclear cooperation.
First, to promote disarmament, the U.S. was working with Russia on a new START Treaty aimed at reducing nuclear arsenals, Mr. Obama said. “Our forthcoming Nuclear Posture Review will move beyond outdated Cold War thinking and reduce the number and role of nuclear weapons in our national security strategy, even as we maintain a safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent”, Mr. Obama stated, adding that he would also press for the ratification of CTBT and FMCT.
Second, in the context of non-proliferation Mr. Obama shifted the spotlight to the upcoming Nuclear Security Summit in April, during which 40 nations would come together “with the goal of securing the world’s vulnerable nuclear materials in four years”. This would be linked to enforcing the rights and responsibilities of every nation, he added.
Third, arguing that all nations have an inalienable right to peaceful nuclear energy Mr. Obama said he would seek “a new framework for civil nuclear cooperation among nations, including an international fuel bank and the necessary resources and authority to strengthen the International Atomic Energy Agency”. This would unlock advances in the fields of medicine, agriculture and economic development.
Alluding to his speech in Prague last year, the President recalled his ultimate vision of a world free of nuclear weapons.
Labels: Barack Obama, CTB, FMCT, Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, nuclear weapons, United States
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