Europe

Documents & Texts from the Washington File

06 July 2009
Obama, Russia’s Medvedev Agree to Further Missile Defense Talks

By Merle David Kellerhals Jr.
Staff Writer

Related:
 • Press conference by President Obama and President Medvedev of Russia
 • Russia, U.S. Seek to Lead Nonproliferation Efforts by Example

Washington — The United States and Russia have agreed to continue talks on proposed missile defenses in Europe.

"We have instructed our experts to work together to analyze the ballistic missile challenges of the 21st century and to prepare appropriate recommendations, giving priority to the use of political and diplomatic methods," President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in a joint statement released July 6 in Moscow.

Positioning a limited anti-ballistic missile system in Europe has been a significant issue between the United States and Russia. Under President George W. Bush, the United States proposed stationing 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and an advanced radar station in the Czech Republic to protect allies in Europe and thwart rogue states with nuclear ballistic missiles. Russian officials have expressed concern over the scope of the anti-ballistic missile system.

Obama and Medvedev said they have directed their missile experts “to conduct a joint review of the entire spectrum of means at our disposal that allow us to cooperate on monitoring the development of missile programs around the world.” Obama ordered his own review of the proposed U.S. anti-missile system shortly after taking office to determine if the system is effective in meeting security needs and not too costly.

On July 5, Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the proposed U.S. system is defensive. “It’s not meant, in any way, shape or form, to be threatening to Russia,” he said on CBS News’ Face the Nation television show.

NUCLEAR COOPERATION

Obama and Medvedev also announced a commitment to strengthen cooperation in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and highly enriched uranium and to keep equipment and technology from falling into the hands of rogue states and extremists. The two leaders pledged to dispose of existing stockpiles of weapons-grade materials that are surplus to defense needs under obligations in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The two presidents signed a joint agreement to guide the remainder of negotiations for a treaty to replace the existing Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START-I, which expires December 5. The joint agreement commits the United States and Russia to reducing their nuclear arsenals to a range of 1,500–1,675 warheads, and the means to deliver them to a range of 500–1,100. The means to deliver nuclear warheads includes intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarines and long-range bombers.

Under the expiring START arrangement and the Moscow Treaty, the maximum allowable level of warheads is 2,200 and the maximum allowable level of launch vehicles is 1,600.

“These numbers reflect a new level of reductions of strategic offensive arms and delivery vehicles that will be lower than those in any existing arms control agreements,” a joint fact sheet said. “The new agreement will enhance the security of both the U.S. and Russia, as well as provide predictability and stability in strategic offensive forces.”

Previously, the U.S. and Russian negotiating teams met in April, May, June and July. They will continue their work for a final agreement that will require signature by both presidents and ratification.

In other side agreements, the United States and Russia agreed to work toward bringing stability and security in Afghanistan, and agreed that the United States will be able to transport its military personnel and equipment across Russia to support U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan.

“This agreement complements a NATO-Russia arrangement, under which the United States began shipping non-lethal equipment to Afghanistan through Russian territory earlier this year,” a White House-issued fact sheet said. “This will permit 4,500 flights per year.”

Admiral Mullen and Russian General Nikolai Makarov, chief of the Russian armed forces’ General Staff, signed a new strategic framework for military-to-military engagement, the White House said. The U.S. and Russian armed forces have agreed to conduct nearly 20 exchanges and operational events in 2009, including strategic discussions between the respective joint chiefs of staff, orientation for Russian military cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, planning for hijacked aircraft emergencies, and visits by the faculties of U.S. and Russian military colleges.

Planning is also under way with the U.S. European Command, based in Brussels, Belgium, to meet with the Russian Ministry of Defense for a more enlarged work plan in 2010, the White House said.

In addition, the U.S. and Russia reached agreement on accounting for missing service members of both countries dating back to World War II, and pledged fresh cooperation on significant public health issues.

The full texts of the joint statement on missile issues, on public health issues and on missing service members are available on America.gov.

What foreign affairs decisions should President Obama consider? Comment on America.gov's blog.

back to top ^