Obama in Moscow to Negotiate Arms Reduction Treaty

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6 July 2009 :: staff

Pres. Obama has arrived in Moscow to negotiate with Russian leaders a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (StART). He faces a complex process of navigating the politics of a nuclear superpower with two leaders. Some expect Obama to work with Pres. Medvedev, keeping PM Vladimir Putin more to the sidelines, or to proffer an arms control center-ground, rooted in pragmatism, which neither of Russia’s political leaders could walk away from.

The New York Times notes Pres. Obama’s optimism about the possibilities of negotiations rooted in the ideas discussed in US-Russia talks in London earlier this year:

“We are confident that we can continue to build off the extraordinary discussions that we had in London,” Mr. Obama said, “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, that we can make extraordinary progress that will benefit the people of both countries.”

The Obama administration has been working from the president’s swearing in to maneuver diplomatically toward a “reset” in relations between the two Cold War superpowers. Relations had soured severely in recent years over hardline policies adopted by then president Vladimir Putin (now prime minister). The last two years of the Bush administration’s dealings with Pres. Putin spurred talks of a “new Cold War”.

In a joint press conference and signing ceremony today in Moscow, the US and Russia agreed to reduce their respective stockpiles of active nuclear weapons from over 2,000 each to 1,500 each. Pres. Medvedev was gracious in his appraisal of the budding working relationship with the new administration of Pres. Obama and spoke of a range of “mutual interests”, including energy policy and diplomatic tensions in the middle east.

Pres. Medvedev said that negotiations relating to not only nuclear warheads, but also on the specific number of “carriers of strategic arms” each nation can maintain. He also said there are discussions ongoing, relating to the Anti-ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty, and announced a “joint presidential commission” to work on formulating the most favorable conditions for arms reduction and mutual cooperation between the United States and the Russian Federation.

Pres. Medvedev concluded his remarks, saying “our country would like to reach such a level of cooperation with the United States that would be worthy of the 21st century, which would guarantee international peace”. Pres. Obama thanked him and called the meeting “very productive”, reiterating that the two men agree that US-Russia relations should be “reset” to “cooperate more effectively”.

Pres. Obama announced that a joint-statement signed by both presidents would build on the existing StART agreement and would reduce both nations’ nuclear stockpiles by up to 1/3 by the end of this year. He noted Pres. Medvedev’s support for US efforts at the United Nations Security Council to oppose North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons, and said the two presidents had signed an agreement of understanding on opposition the weaponization of Iran’s nuclear research program.

Perhaps among the most significant developments announced, Pres. Obama said the two had signed an agreement permitting the transit of military equipment through Russian territory to Afghanistan, allowing for better supply to coalition forces there and saving money and time for the US security and humanitarian operations in the region.

Sec. of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Foreign Min. Sergey Lavrov will collaborate in the implementation of broad cooperation agreements relating to global security and preventing the spread of pandemics, like the influenza A/H1N1 virus. He also said that “Pres. Medvedev and I are committed to leaving behind the suspicion and rivalry of the past”, and that they had discussed the US president’s wishes that the territorial integrity of Georgia be respected.

The first question, from the AP, to Pres. Obama was “who do you think is in charge”, referring to the powerful PM Putin and Pres. Medvedev, Obama’s counterpart in the Russian government. Pres. Obama did not mention PM Putin initially, but said that he had confidence in Pres. Medvedev, whom he judged an effective leader and committed negotiating partner, to follow through on the pledges made in bilateral negotiations.

He said he would meet Mr. Putin for the first time the following morning, and that his understanding was that the prime minister and the president divide power according to the Russian system of government. He reiterated his belief that Pres. Medvedev is his direct counterpart and an effective negotiating partner, adding that he believes the president and prime minister are committed to working effectively together.

Pres. Medvedev was asked, by the same AP reporter, what Pres. Obama can do to sow good will among the broader Russian public, which may harbor some suspicions. Pres. Medvedev said he believed an effective personal relationship for cooperation, between the two presidents, can do a lot to show that the two powers can work together. He spoke of building good will and “empathy” and said the United States and Russia joined together in WWII “to save the world”.

The first Russian question to both men was about nuclear weapons, specifically, noting that the US and Russia account for 95% of all nuclear weapons in existence. Pres. Medvedev said he agreed with the questioner’s assertion that “there are negative trends in the world” and that the two great nuclear powers, beyond securing and reducing their own arsenals, must work together to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons elsewhere, citing the middle east and the Korean peninsula specifically.

Another question challenged both men to deal with the complex issue of the linkage of missile defense and nuclear non-proliferation. The US favors delinking the two issues, while Russia has said the two are inextricably linked. Pres. Obama said that defensive ballistic missile capabilities are part of any discussion of offensive nuclear weapons talks, but reiterated that US plans for missile defenses in Europe would be oriented toward Iran and toward a “stray missile … from a third source”, and would not be sufficient for opposing a massive arsenal like Russia’s.

Obama predicted that the US and Russian positions on missile defense “can be reconciled” and that both sides will see a mutual benefit to developing adequate protections for “both our populations” from ballistic missile strikes from a hypothetical “third source”.

Pres. Medvedev suggested that Pres. Obama’s understanding of how missile defense plays a role in Russia’s concerns regarding overall nuclear weapons negotiations is a sign of real progress. Medevedev went on to speak of a “global anti-ballistic missile defense” capability, the details of which are not yet known.

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