Russia is ready to give the US information on its offensive arms in exchange for data on the American antimissile defense system (ABM). This exchange may be conducted within a new agreement on strategic offensive weapons (START), stated Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin during his working visit to the Far East.
On the one hand, this statement is rather unexpected. The issues of foreign policy and signing security treaties with other countries are the President's prerogative under the Russian Constitution. Thus, the Prime Minister reminded that these are the two presidents -Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama -who are to decide on the START-2 Treaty. Thus, political correctness in this case has been followed to the letter. On the other hand, Vladimir Putin has been Russia's President for eight years and he is perfectly informed on these issues. Generally, the head of the government positively estimated the development of the Russian-American dialogue.
The problems of defensive and offensive weapons are closely interconnected. Moscow and Washington realized it already during the working out the ABM Treaty from 1972 out of which Bush's Administration walked unilaterally.
Thus, the START-2 Treaty should be strictly in line with the US global ABM system plans. Vladimir Putin has fairly noted that, since Washington is building up such a system, and Moscow is not, Russia puts a stake on nuclear missiles. This provides for the balance of strategic offensive and defensive arms of Russia and the US. If the American side breaks the Treaty to its advantage, said Vladimir Putin, our partners may feel absolutely safe and become aggressive in real policy and in bilateral economic relations.
The US has influential forces which would like Washington to have the right to create the global ABM system in any case. Forty one Senators have already appealed to the US President with a letter containing these proposals. Besides, they tie the ratification of the START-2 Treaty with the beginning of a large- scale program of missile re-equipment of the US.
Russia is ready to cooperate with the US in this area, but only on the basis of equality, mutual consideration of the national interests and preservation of the balance of power.
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