06 July, 2009, 18:54
Russia and the US have agreed on strategic arms reduction and on the signing of a new treaty to replace the current one, known as START.
The two states are going to reduce the number of nuclear warheads to between 1500 and 1675, and nuclear missiles to between 500 and 1100.
The main points to be included in the new START treaty are listed in a document named "Joint Understanding on Further Strategic Offensive Arms Cuts and Reductions" which was signed today by the leaders in the Kremlin.
Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama, on his first visit to Moscow, have also signed a number of bilateral agreements on anti-missile defense and Afghanistan. An agreement over the transit of US weapons, military hardware and personnel through Russian territory – in connection with US’s efforts aimed at providing security and stabilization of situation in Afghanistan – was one of the deals signed.
The protocol meeting between President Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama started in a narrow format with only foreign policy aides and foreign ministers participating. It was planned that this meeting would last for half an hour, but the talks continued for almost one-and-a-half hours.
Then the two countries' delegations joined the discussion. The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, however, was not able to come to Moscow because of an elbow injury she suffered last month.
Speaking at the beginning of the meeting, Medvedev welcomed his American counterpart and wished him “every success”. He said:
Our countries are facing a wide range of issues, which we are trying to tackle together – economic, world security issues and those connected with strategic arms reduction. I think the agenda of our talks gives us every opportunity to come to important and very necessary solutions.
The Russian leader also said, as a result of “our work today, tomorrow's work and full-scale bilateral communication,” he hopes a number of complicated pages in the relations between Moscow and Washington will close, and a new page will open.
President Obama, for his part, said:
"We are confident that we can continue to build on the excellent discussions that we had in London, and that on a whole host of issues – including security issues, economic issues, energy issues, environmental issues – that the United States and Russia have more in common than they have differences, and that if we work hard during these next few days we can make extraordinary progress that would benefit the people of both countries."
Before the Kremlin meeting, Obama laid flowers at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier near Red Square in Moscow, to commemorate those Russian soldiers who died in WWII.
On Tuesday, the American President is expected to meet Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and the former, and actually the only President of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev.
The airspace above Moscow is going to be a “no-go zone” for three days, and several fighter jets are ready to take off immediately in case of any threat coming from above – just to be on the safe side.
The Interior Ministry of Russia has even mentioned some innovations in terms of security to be applied during the visit of the US President.
Barack Obama has already acknowledged the strictness of Russian security measures. While a senator and member of an American delegation in 2005, he visited the Russian town of Perm to inspect nuclear security facility. Back then, the officials’ jet was detained for more than three hours, and was cleared only after their diplomatic status was confirmed.
This time it looks like all issues have been taken care of, and everything is going to pass without incident.
Speaking at the beginning of the meeting, Medvedev welcomed his American counterpart and wished him “every success”. He said:
Our countries are facing a wide range of issues, which we are trying to tackle together – economic, world security issues and those connected with strategic arms reduction. I think the agenda of our talks gives us every opportunity to come to important and very necessary solutions.
The Russian leader also said, as a result of “our work today, tomorrow's work and full-scale bilateral communication,” he hopes a number of complicated pages in the relations between Moscow and Washington will close, and a new page will open.
President Obama, for his part, said:
"We are confident that we can continue to build on the excellent discussions that we had in London, and that on a whole host of issues – including security issues, economic issues, energy issues, environmental issues – that the United States and Russia have more in common than they have differences, and that if we work hard during these next few days we can make extraordinary progress that would benefit the people of both countries."
Before the Kremlin meeting, Obama laid flowers at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier near Red Square in Moscow, to commemorate those Russian soldiers who died in WWII.
On Tuesday, the American President is expected to meet Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and the former, and actually the only President of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev.
Unprecedented security measures
Russian authorities are taking unprecedented measures of security. According to the Interior Ministry, the number of people providing safety and security for the American President and his family during his three day stay in Moscow will exceed 10,000. This is significantly more than for any previous state visit. US President Barack Obama's limousine and motorcade drive through central Moscow on his way to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the Kremlin, on July 6, 2009 (AFP Photo / Saul Loeb) |
The airspace above Moscow is going to be a “no-go zone” for three days, and several fighter jets are ready to take off immediately in case of any threat coming from above – just to be on the safe side.
The Interior Ministry of Russia has even mentioned some innovations in terms of security to be applied during the visit of the US President.
Barack Obama has already acknowledged the strictness of Russian security measures. While a senator and member of an American delegation in 2005, he visited the Russian town of Perm to inspect nuclear security facility. Back then, the officials’ jet was detained for more than three hours, and was cleared only after their diplomatic status was confirmed.
This time it looks like all issues have been taken care of, and everything is going to pass without incident.
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